West Pasco Students Rack Up Wins in Battle of the Belts

West Pasco students earned awards recently for their effort to get folks to buckle up.

Twelve schools entered this year’s Battle of the Belts competition, a public safety campaign aimed at promoting use of seat belts. Contestants are tasked with filming public service announcements, writing essays, creating posters and improving seats belt use.

This year, Pasco and Polk counties participated in the competition. Eight schools from Pasco and four from Polk entered into the challenge, which is sponsored by All Children’s Hospital and led by Safe Kids Florida Suncoast Pasco & Polk Councils.

There were six categories of the competition: poster, public service announcement, poster, campaign book, Highest Percent Increased Seat Belt Use and Highest Overall Seat Belt Use.

A first place winner for each participating county was named for each category on the All Children’s website.

"The goal of this campaign is for high school students to convince their peers to always wear their safety belts," according to a description on the All Children's website. "Student organization like S.A.D.D. or student government associations were asked to create a unique campaign for their high school to encourage fellow students to wear their seat belts during every ride in a motor vehicle."

Gulf High was named as the Pasco County division winner for public service announcement. The PSA was professionally produced by CBS and will air on CW44. 

Alyssa Mulroy, a Gulf High student, took first prize in Pasco in the essay contest 

Derek Lumley, of Anclote River High School, was named as first place winner for the poster category for.

River Ridge won first prize in improved seatbelt use in the Pasco County division.  

Hudson High won for overall seatbelt use in the Pasco Division.

Wesley Chapel took the win in the Pasco division in the campaign Book category.

For a full list of winners, see the All Children's Web page.

The Pasco County: Anclote, Gulf, Hudson, River Ridge, Sunlake, Wesley Chapel, Wiregrass Ranch and Zephyrhills
Polk County: Auburndale, Lake Gibson, Lake Region and Tenoroc