Locals do well in competition

For the first time in the nine-year history of Stamp Out Smoking’s The Big Pitch contest, two teams tied for first place, and both teams are from Springdale Har-Ber High School. The “SOS Risks” and “Future Reference” teams created tobacco-free television commercials that an out-of-state panel of judges scored highest out of 79 entries received for the 2012 The Big Pitch Film Festival.

“This year marks the highest participation in the contest’s history, and therefore, hopefully more youth will never start using tobacco.” said Arlene Rose, branch chief of the Arkansas Department of Health Tobacco Prevention and CessationProgram. “We are proud to see the contest grow each year because it means more Arkansas students are taking an interest in tobacco control.”

The Big Pitch Film Festival gives students across Arkansas the opportunity to film, star in and produce their own TV commercials promoting tobacco-free lifestyles.

As the first place winner, Springdale Har-Ber High School will receive $2,000 in store credit to purchase media equipment or supplies, and team members who participated in the winning television commercials will each receive a $50 iTunes gift card.

Second place was awarded to Malvern Junior High School, which will receive $1,000 in store credit for media equipment or supplies. Team members who participated in creating the winning ad, “Malaysha’s Story,” will receive $25 iTunes gift cards. The “You Promised” team, also from Springdale Har-Ber High School, was chosen as the third-place winner, and it will receive $500 in store credit for media equipment or supplies. Team members will receive $15 iTunes gift cards.

For the fifth consecutive year, SOS requested the help of Arkansans to select their favorite video entry through the “People’s Choice” Award. Videos approved for voting by the Arkansas Department of Health were posted on stampoutsmoking.com and were available for voting until April 11. After receiving more than 3,500 votes, the public selected the Springdale High School “Smuggies” team as the winner of the 2012 “People’s Choice” Award. Winning team members will receive $25 iTunes gift cards.

SOS hosted an award show and screening event to recognize the participants’ hard work and to broadcast their commercials on the big screen. More than 150 students and teachers attended the event held in North Little Rock at the Argenta Community Theatre where additional awards were given for Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Editing, Best Representation of Topic and Rookie of the Year, awarded to a first-time participant school. The following schools took home the awards:

Best Actor – “One Man Wolf Pack” team from Lakeside High School
Best Actress – “BD2 Change the World” team from Parkview High School
Best Editing – “Angelic 7 Productions” team from Dover High School
Best Representation of Topic – “The Dreamers” team from Valley Springs High School
Rookie of the Year – “EAST” team from Watson Chapel High School

About Stamp Out Smoking:

SOS is the media and public education campaign of the Arkansas Department of Health Tobacco Prevention and Cessation Program. For more information on SOS community and school programs, visit stampoutsmoking.com.