CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. – A group of Kenwood High School (KHS) students will soon be able to carry their message about the dangers of texting and driving to the entire community, thanks to the generosity of 5 Star Media Group.
This week the KHS students visited 5 Star to record a public service announcement they had written. The 60-second PSA warns drivers about the increased risk of crashing if they try to text while operating a vehicle.
“This is the first time we have had a high school group come in to record a public service announcement,” said Lee Erwin, of 5 Star. “We have worked with college students from Austin Peay before, but this was our first high school group.”
For the Kenwood students, the chance to tour local radio stations, meet station employees, and be part of a professional recording session was exciting. “I thought it was really cool, I liked seeing how the production process worked at an actual radio station,” said Savannah Magsby. “The whole experience was great and the people were so helpful.”
Kenwood instructor, Amy Jackson, who teaches audio and video production, says she is proud of her students. “They have been working so hard on getting the message out about how dangerous it is to text and drive. They really believe they can make a difference.”
Kenwood is one of just 15 schools in Tennessee chosen this year to participate in a campaign called “Be In The Zone”, sponsored by Monroe Carrell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. At the end of the school year students will find out if their efforts were enough to win the top prize: $10,000 for their school. But, Jackson says it is about more than money. “What my students really want even more than the prize, is to know that they helped to reduce the number of distracted drivers.”
The KHS students also plan to work with local and state officials this year to see if Tennessee’s texting and driving law can be made stronger.