The Montgomery County Department of Transportation’s (MCDOT) video contest for teenagers called “Heads up, Phones Down” aims to promote the importance of focusing on your surroundings an not your phone while walking, driving, or riding a bike. The video challenge is open to high school students to create 30-second public service announcements for prizes. The contest accepts videos from Feb. 1-29.
High school students from county public or private schools may work individually or in a group. The maximum number of people allowed in a group is four.
⚠️The MCDOT #PedestrianSafety "Heads Up, Phones Down" contest starts on Feb. 1, 2024⚠️
Create a 30-second video promoting the importance of focusing on your surroundings and not your phone📵while walking🚶♂️, driving🚗, or riding a bike🚴♂️.
▶️https://t.co/f6neObXkX3 @VisionZeroMC pic.twitter.com/2Ivn6iHJiw— MCDOT (@MCDOTNow) January 30, 2024
There are three prizes for both the individual and group submission categories. Winning group submissions will split the grand prize with gift cards for each member and individual submissions can potentially win a MacBook Air, an Apple Watch or a tripod for a mobile phone.
Aside from prizes, students can also receive up to 10 Student Service Learning (SSL) hours for submitting an entry to the contest. MCDOT will post winning videos on the county’s Pedestrian Safety website and social media channels.
You can view more information about the contest on the county’s website. Send contest-related questions to pedestrian.safety@montgomerycountymd.gov.
Thomas Phillips from Walter Johnson high school won the grand prize last year for his video “Don’t Tempt Yourself” in the individual category last year.
