Antioch students win Toyota and Discovery Education’s TeenDrive365 Video Challenge
Safe-Driving Video Wins Two Awards in National Competition, Students Will Receive $12,500 and Behind-the-Scenes Trip to Velocity Network Show Taping
Silver Spring, Md. (May 11, 2015) – Toyota and Discovery Education announced today that Jordan Bjorklund, Daniel Harte, Joseph Salazar and Karina Vazquez – students at Antioch Unified School District’s Deer Valley High School– triumphed over 1,000 entrants from across the country to be named winners in the annual Toyota TeenDrive365 Video Challenge. The four teens from Antioch created a video on the importance of driving safety which has won both third place and the People’s Choice Award in this national competition.
Now in its fourth year, the Toyota TeenDrive365 Video Challenge, a key component of an ongoing partnership between Toyota and Discovery Education, invited teens across the country to create short videos to inspire their friends to drive more safely and avoid risky behavior behind the wheel.
The team from Antioch was chosen as third place winners by a panel of judges at Toyota and Discovery Education, netting them a prize of $7,500. In addition, the students’ video was named the ‘People’s Choice Winner’ through an online public vote, garnering them an additional $5,000 cash prize and a behind-the-scenes trip to a taping of a Velocity network show. You can view their winning video here.
“We loved how this PSA addressed driving safety with creativity and a clear-eyed view of the distractions that face drivers of all ages,” said Michael Rouse, president of the Toyota USA Foundation. “We offer the team our heartfelt congratulations and are proud to help share their vision for encouraging other teens to drive more safely.”
“The TeenDrive365 initiative addresses the need to keep students safe on the road by providing engaging digital resources and experiences that encourage smart choices behind the wheel,” said Bill Goodwyn, President and CEO, Discovery Education. “We are honored to stand alongside Toyota in congratulating Jordan, Daniel, Joseph and Karina and the rest of this year’s winners for their creativity, innovative thinking, and dedication to positively influencing the behavior of their peers.”
The Toyota TeenDrive365 Video Challenge, which was recently named a winner in the annual Communitas Awards, is one component of Toyota and Discovery Education’s TeenDrive365: In School initiative, a comprehensive program offering a range of tools designed specifically for school educators and teens.
The program is part of TeenDrive365 (www.teendrive365.com), Toyota’s comprehensive initiative to help parents model safer driving behaviors for their children. Building on the programs and resources Toyota has offered for more than a decade, the program offers a collection of online tools, events, expert advice and tips as well as social media elements.
About Toyota
Toyota, the world’s top automaker and creator of the Prius, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through its Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands. Over the past 50 years, Toyota has built more than 25 million cars and trucks in North America, where it operates 14 manufacturing plants and directly employs more than 40,000 people. The company’s 1,800 North American dealerships sold more than 2.67 million cars and trucks in 2014 – and about 80 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 20 years are still on the road today. Toyota partners with philanthropic organizations across the country, with a focus on education, safety and the environment. To date, Toyota has contributed more than $700 million to American nonprofit groups. For more information about Toyota, visit Toyota.com/USA.
About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-based digital content and professional development for K-12, transforming teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content that supports the implementation of Common Core, professional development, assessment tools, and the largest professional learning community of its kind. Available in over half of all U.S. schools and primary schools in England, community colleges and in 50 countries around the world, Discovery Education partners with districts, states and like-minded organizations to captivate students, empower teachers, and transform classrooms with customized solutions that accelerate academic achievement. Discovery Education is powered by Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the number one nonfiction media company in the world. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.
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TeenDrive365 3rd Place
