Brooks Announces Winner of Heroin-Opioid Student Video Contest

HARRISBURG (May 2, 2018) – Sen. Michele Brooks has announced that five Cambridge Springs Middle School students have won first place in the Senate’s statewide heroin and opioid prevention video contest.  Together, they will win $2,500 and have their video shown online on the Senate’s “Commonwealth Crisis” website.

The middle school team included Finley Rauscher, Hailee Rodgers, Madelynn Dragosavac, Brock Cunningham and Bradyn Field.  They were chosen from among 250 entrants statewide, Brooks said.

Grove City High School students Ellie Robinson, Willow Myers and Alex Filer were semi-finalists in the high school category.    

“Congratulations to our local winners, their teachers, and families! I would also like to thank all of the entrants for their efforts in putting together an important message to try to help turn the tide in an epidemic that kills 13 Pennsylvanians a day,” Brooks said. “Our young people and their unique perspective must be part of the solution.  It’s terrific that they have stepped up to the plate with their talent and creativity to take part in the conversation and drive changes in attitudes and behaviors regarding addiction.” 

“I am so proud of this group of seventh-grade students for going above and beyond to create a unique and dynamic video about an issue that our society faces,” teacher Angela Mumford said.  “They spent countless hours after school working to write, perform and edit the award-winning video.”

A statewide panel of addiction experts selected winners from 250 entries statewide.

Prizes of $2,500, $1,500 and $1,000 were awarded to schools from a total of $10,000 in prize money donated by the Drug and Alcohol Service Providers Association of Pennsylvania, including local sponsor Gaudenzia.  The prizes will be awarded through the TAP 529 Account program in the Pennsylvania Department of Treasury, which will be deposited into a college savings account in the winners’ names.  Videos were judged on creativity, content and effectiveness of message delivery.

The Drug and Alcohol Service Providers Association is a statewide coalition of drug and alcohol abuse prevention and education programs, student assistance programs, drug and alcohol addiction treatment programs, recovery services, statewide drug and alcohol organizations and others.

Video entries are available for viewing at www.acommonwealthcrisis.com.  

                                                            

CONTACT:  Diane McNaughton dmmcnaughton@pasen.gov    717-787-1322        

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