Five juniors at Mountain View High School in El Monte earned several awards, including the top honor, for their public service announcement at the National Streets Are Safe for Everyone Competition on May 4.
The high school students — Mariela Cruare, Jaquelin Flores, Giselle Ortiz, Sarahi Retana, and Lindsay Vargas — are part of Mountain View’s Viking Informational Systems Technology Academy (VISTA), which created PSAs that emphasize safe driving practices for the competition, organized by the non-profit Streets Are For Everyone.
The group won the top prize in the national competition for its “Dose of Reality” entry and were recognized for their work in other categories, including Script Originality and Creativity for “Heavens Gate” and Post Special Effects/Graphics for “Drunk Driving Animation.”
“First and foremost, I am so grateful to be a part of VISTA. I have always had a passion for filmmaking and it was not until this competition that I realized I also had a love for scriptwriting,” Retana said. “My classmates and I collaborated on the concept for ‘Dose of Reality.’ We really wanted to make sure our video evoked a striking message and impacted others to keep safety in mind when driving.”
Their efforts earned the Mountain View VISTA program $1,250 to use for future projects and $250 for each student.
“The dedication and creativity shown by these young filmmakers are truly inspiring,” MVHS VISTA teacher John Mann said. “This is the third year we have participated in this competition and each year my students never cease to amaze me. I am extremely proud of them and all their hard work. They’ve demonstrated how youth-driven initiatives can drive meaningful change in our communities.”
MVHS VISTA students were part of a group of 29 schools, with more than 360 students, which featured 112 individual competition registrants and 82 final PSA submissions.
“The success of Mountain View’s VISTA students highlights the innovative spirit and commitment to community engagement that defines our District,” El Monte Union High School District Superintendent Dr. Edward Zuniga said. “Congratulations to each participant for their outstanding contributions and well-deserved recognition.”
