Montwood High School audio/video production students put their talents in the spotlight with winning submissions in two recent local video production contests.
Students David Hernandez and Isaiah Anthony Chavez won the Better Business Bureau Paso del Norte Student Video Contest, and Carlos Olivares and Angelica Valdez placed second in the City of El Paso Environmental Services “Recycle Right, El Paso” video PSA contest.
“I’m very proud of my students for winning these contests and using their creativity to educate the community,” said Marvin J. Hanley, audio and video production teacher at Montwood High School. “It’s good for them to showcase their work outside of school, and share what they are learning with the rest of El Paso.”
Hernandez and Chavez won the BBB contest for their video production, Online Scams. The video demonstrates how to create a safe online environment, and teaches individuals how to report online fraud.
“We put a lot of effort into this video to show people how to watch out for hackers and scammers,” Hernandez said. “Everything is about technology now, so people need to be aware of everything they search the web for. Don’t trust private sellers, and if you are going to buy something online do your research, and look at reviews before listing personal information.”
Marybeth Stevens, president and CEO of BBB Paso del Norte said judging was extremely competitive. This year, 111 videos were submitted by schools in Juárez and El Paso. The combined student marketing efforts generated more than 51,000 online votes.
“We hope to continue to grow this contest as a positive educational opportunity that challenges students, promotes collaboration, and serves to reinforce the importance of being cautious and educated consumers who use the resources like the BBB to avoid being scammed,” Stevens said.
The students were recognized at the 2019 BBB Awards for Excellence luncheon on May 15, where they received a $150 gift card and up to $1,000 for their school.
Olivares and Valdez placed second in the “Recycling Write, El Paso” PSA contest. The students crafted a 30-second informative video that educates the community on what items can and cannot be recycled.
“Recycling is super important, especially in today’s age because of global warming,” Valdez said. “My partner and I hope that our video inspires a lot of people to take care of our planet by making sure they recycle items that have the recycling label, turning-off the lights when there is sunlight, not letting the water run while washing dishes, and by taking shorter showers.”
The PSA winners were recognized at the annual El Paso Earth Day celebration in April.
