A cool, breezy spring morning, and you’re driving your daily commute to school, just as always. There’s a ding on your phone, and it’s from somebody you enjoy talking to. In that same moment you take your eyes off the road to check that message, an out-of-control vehicle slams into the side of your car.  

The Create Real Impact Contest asked young people, ages 14-22, to show how they would talk about the number one killer of teens in America, distracted driving. Junior Chase Britton and Senior Allyson Colbert, students in the Graphic Arts 3 course, were the winners of this contest, sponsored by Impact Teen Drivers in collaboration with State Farm Insurance of York County.

“Phones are a problem for teens and young adults,” said Colbert. “And that was the main idea.” 

The contest allowed for a wide variety of media that could be entered to win; including graphic design, music, video, and creative writing creations.  Colbert and Britton created a design for a billboard, which features a representation of a text message next to the words, “They need you alive.  The text can wait.”

The billboard is up and can be seen from I-83 northbound near the Emigsville exit. 

Marlin Bollinger from State Farm of York County and Melissa Sweitzer from the Center For York Traffic Safety presented a one-hundred-dollar check to each student from Red Lion, a unique award modeled after their billboard design submission, as well as a one-thousand-dollar educational grant to the Red Lion Graphic Arts Program.   

Mr. Paul Thom, a Graphic Arts, Technology and Engineering Education teacher guided students through the design process and then evaluated the final design product. 

“Students prepared for the event by enrolling in the level 3 Graphic Arts course,” said Mr. Thom, “which provides industry-standard, real-world, skills for students to successfully create graphic designs and products.” 

He and the rest of the Graphic Arts program team at the Senior High, plan to use the educational grant on a future graphics-related project that will also promote safe driving for the students at Red Lion.

By Tyler Wernick

Multimedia Journalist