Three seniors from Homer High School are finalists in a national video contest. Liam Somers, Johann Kallelid, and Lyndsay Brown were selected as finalists for the 2016 Toyota Teen Drive 365 Video Challenge. Toyota and Discovery Education selected their video out of over 1500 entries as one of the top 10. They now have the chance to win up to $15,000 and participate in the video production of a PSA with Toyota and Discovery Education, if they get enough votes.
“Liam is the brains behind this whole video," said Brown on a Kenai Peninsula Borough School District blog, recently.
"He created the whole script and the green screen, everything. I am really proud and honored to be a part of this, and the fact that we are now in the top ten finalists, is incredible. Liam worked really hard on this video and deserves to win it all!” Brown said.
The video begins by saying that teenagers don't always think things through, as Somers shows Kallelid the new sport he invented; para-snowmobile-skii-cliff-jumping. It goes on to show more ways that distracted driving can be dangerous. Kallelid said he's made videos in the past and he jumped at the chance to participate in the project.
“In the past, Liam, me and some other friends have made many videos. Liam called me and asked if I wanted to make another video with him and of course I said, yes. It’s so cool that we’re in the top ten finalists. It’s a great feeling," said Kallelid.
The video compares distracted driving to drunk driving. It addresses texting and adjusting the radio while driving and shows how passengers can also be a distraction.
“I’ve always loved to get my friends together and make movies for fun, so when I saw that there was a scholarship being offered for making a video about distracted teen drivers, I immediately rounded up some actors and began filming. I’ve also realized, during my few short years of driving, just how dangerous distracted driving can be, and I thought that by making this video we could hopefully help prevent future accidents due to distractions," Somers said.
You can watch and vote for their video at www.TeenDrive365InSchool.com/vote. You can vote daily through April 25th.