By Khalil Scott and Caroline Trueman
Seniors Joi Bass, Jayla Parker and Ronald “Trey” Smith were finalists in the Not4Me PSA Contest with Trey emerging as the winner when his PSA premiered during the 2017 Grammy Awards.
“My mindset, personally, was: I want to win,” Trey said. “No losing. No ties. I want to win.”
The Not4Me PSA Contest, which is sponsored by Loveland Distributing and CBS 6, challenges students to explain why underage drinking is not for them.
Trey’s PSA, “I Do It for My Dad,” is about his father serving in the armed forces. It clearly shows the reason Trey does not drink alcohol.
Trey’s victory marks the third consecutive win for a Varina student in the Not4Me campaign, a feat never before accomplished.
“Winning this contest helped me be more confident,” Trey said. “This experience was a good learning tool.”
Melissa Smith, Trey’s mother, said she was his biggest supporter telling all of her family, friends and coworkers.
“The joyous part came when he won, and all the people that voted for him were just as happy as we were. I was all smiles from ear to ear,” Mrs. Smith said.
Jayla, the runner up in the competition, received a prize of $500. She used Snapchat to reach out to younger people in her video.
“It felt really good to even become a finalist. I put a lot of work into it,” Jayla said.
Joi said that she feels strongly about underage drinking because she comes from a family that doesn’t drink. Joi said that the contest helped her gain some new skills for her future career.
“I gained time management, organization skills and confidence,” Joi said.
For two years, Advanced Communications teacher Lesley St. James has assisted students in creating PSAs for the Not4Me PSA Contest.
Mrs. St. James said that this year’s winning video had more of a loving, almost nostalgic feeling.
“This year’s ads had heart,” Mrs. St. James said. “We have done Varina proud.”
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