In early November, the CHS broadcasting department took part in a nationwide contest held by State Farm Insurance, and created a video that showed how CHS promotes safe driving. Along with a $100,000 prize, the winner of this contest won a free concert from musical group Echosmith. After passing each round of voting, CHS made it to top, and as a result won both the $100,000 and the concert.

“State Farm awarded 22 schools with $100,000 in an effort to help spread awareness of their Drive 2N2 campaigns on the high school level,” senior Nicholas LaMarca said. “I headed the team that worked on our submission video along with Joey Szalkiewicz, and we created a 30 second video that got us qualified for the top 100. After getting a lot of votes we ended up winning the contest and Echosmith chose us for the concert.”

As promised, CHS was presented a check for $100,000. Although CHSTV plans on using a big portion of this money to buy new technology for their program, they are teaming up with State Farm and using part of the money on a public service announcement (PSA) to help promote safe driving.

“$22,000 is spent directly on the State Farm 2N2 program,” broadcasting teacher Mr. Green said. “Our proposal to the school is to make films that we can distribute nationwide. Because we are part of the Student Television Network, our video will not only reach our students, but students all around the country. We are not only targeting students, but we are targeting parents about safe diving.”

Because this a student run broadcasting program, CHSTV students not only created the video entry, but are now leading the production of the PSA.

“With $20,000 of the money we received, we spent it on a new camera we’re going to use to create videos for 2N2,” LaMarca said. “I story-boarded a two minute video that we are planning on shooting in a couple of weeks. Then it will probably air on CHSTV and we will see what State Farm wants to do with the video as well.”

As for the other portion of the money, Green and his students plan on replacing much of their equipment, which has been with CHSTV for more than a decade.

“Much of our equipment is late 1990 technology,” Green said. “We are one of the few schools in the country that is not HD, so we think it’s time to upgrade. We have a lot of ideas for what to spend it on, but we do know that it is going towards new technology for our program.”

Although there are many warnings against unsafe driving within society, CHSTV, along with State Farm, is finding a new angle that promotes safe driving instead of the potential aftermath of reckless driving.

“You always see the commercials where the mom is texting and you see kids in the back,” Green said. “State Farm does not want to portray this PSA with blood and gore, so our goal is to create a powerful PSA that promotes and celebrates safe driving.”