California Casualty
Mark Goldberg, 719.532.8436
mgoldberg@calcas.com
Impact Teen Drivers
Kelly Browning, Ph.D., 916.733.7432
kbrowning@impactteendrivers.org
National “Create Real Impact” Contest Rewards Teen Safe Driving Messages
San Mateo, CA, April 14, 2019 – Students and schools across the country have won educational grants from the 2019 Spring Create Real Impact Contest, sponsored by Impact Teen Drivers and California Casualty.
A total of $12,000 was awarded for creative efforts to address the dangers of distracted driving aimed at teenagers.
The following students were chosen for $1,500 grand prize educational grants:
- Ashlee Walkowiak, Franklin, WI, in the writing category for her work titled, “Be Different”
- Everen Graves, San Diego, CA, in the music category for the song “So Much to Live For”
- Caden Turner, St. Louis, MO, in the video category for “Listen Up”
- Lindsey Sanchez, Richmond Hill, GA, in the art category for the poster “Camera Filter”
The schools with the most entries were Village Academy of Film and in Pomona, California; University City High School, San Diego, CA; and South Forsyth High School, Cumming, GA. Each school was awarded $1,000.
The contest encourages peer-to-peer messages and creative expression from students to help stem the tide of distracted and reckless driving, the number one killer of young drivers.
Preventing inattentive driving, especially among teens, is one of the top priorities of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and safety groups across the nation.
“The objective of the Create Real Impact Contest is to allow young people to engage, educate and empower their peers with strategies to stop the number one killer of teens – car crashes – particularly those caused by reckless and distracted driving,” said Kelly Browning, Ph.D., Executive Director, Impact Teen Drivers. “The contest meets teens in a space where they are comfortable – online. It is about the solutions to ending distracted driving, #EndDD, #WeHavethePower.”
Students ages 14-22 were invited to offer their artistic solutions to this critical teen driving danger through essays, artwork, videos and music. More than 1,300 submissions were received and winners were determined by a panel of judges and by online voting for prizes ranging from $500 to $1,500.
The winning entries can be viewed at www.createrealimpact.com.
Impact Teen Drivers has reached more than two million teens since 2007 and the Create Real Impact contest began in 2009. California Casualty is a founding partner of the nonprofit and continues to provide support for the contest. California Casualty representatives will help present checks to the winning schools and awardees.
“The importance of this contest can’t be overstated,” said California Casualty CEO Beau Brown. “While insurance can replace a mangled vehicle, we can’t replace a teenager’s life. In a split second, everything for that family changes forever; it’s a terrible tragedy that no one should endure.”
The 2019 Fall Create Real Impact contest will kickoff in August. Entries will be taken at www.createrealimpact.com. For more information on how to get schools and students involved, please contact info@impactteendrivers.org.
Founded in 1914, California Casualty provides auto and home insurance to educators, firefighters, law enforcement and nurses across the country. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, with Service Centers in Arizona, Colorado and Kansas, California Casualty has been led by four generations of the Brown family. To learn more about California Casualty, or to request an auto insurance quote, please visit www.calcas.com or call 1.800.800.9410.
