Erol Kalayoglu and Zachary Carter, juniors at Montgomery Blair High School in Silver Spring, walked away with both first place and fan favorite honors for their video in the Montgomery County Public Schools’ (MCPS) Save A Student summit Saturday.
Students and their parents attended workshops and seminars focused on the dangers of illicit opioid and fentanyl use.
The Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, MCPS, the Montgomery County Parent Teachers Student Association and Montgomery Goes Purple partnered in the events.
“Through this contest, we enlist middle and high school students to help spread awareness and life-saving messages about illicit opioid use and the dangers of fentanyl. We received more than 600 entries, many from groups of students working together, meaning thousands participated. The production value and creativity was outstanding,” McCartney said.
Winning Video🥇
Congratulations to Montgomery Blair HS students Erol Kalayoglu and Zachary Carter for taking First Place and Fan Favorite categories in the #SpeakUpSaveaLife video contest. They won a total of $4,750!!
@MCPS pic.twitter.com/pAf8EbdfL0— Montgomery County State's Attorney's Office (@MCSAONEWS) January 5, 2025
“While reviewing the entries we noted a common theme this year. Many of the videos focused on the pressure and stress of academics and teen life. We are gaining insight from this video contest. We need to help our young people make better choices and support them, so they don’t turn to drugs as a means of coping with the anxiety they have in their lives,” McCarthy said.
The Blair students won $4,750 for their video entitled “You Have One Life Not Nine.”
The $2,000 second-place prize went to T.J. Lau, a student at Julius West Middle School, for his video, “ 2mg Killer.”
Two students from The Heights School, Sully Dettleff and Thomas Cooney, were awarded third place for their video, “Protect A Friend.”
Magnolia Companies and the Good Samaritan Fund provided support in honor of two young community members lost to fentanyl, Michael Pisarra and Matthew Loudon.
