Mothers Against Brain Injury (MABII)

Mothers Against Brain Injury, Inc. is pleased to announce that they are the recipient of The Allstate Foundation's Teen Safe Driver Grant for a 4th year in a row.

Tracy Porter, Executive Director, has reached out yet again to thousands of teens age 15-19 in 15 High Schools in Duval, St. Johns, Nassau, and Clay Counties and asked students in their TV production classes to come up with the most creative and thought provoking .20 second Public Service Announcement (PSA) focused on teen unsafe driving practices and their consequences. Her presentations given at high schools, speaks directly to teens in a very personal way as her own son suffered a severe traumatic brain injury at 16 in a teen driver related crash.

Tracy says, "It's amazing to work with teens on this very important issue. They seem to be amazed, surprised and almost oblivious to the fact that this is happening all around them. More than 6000 teens dying in crashes every year- that's like 12 jumbo jets filled with teens falling out of the sky every year- why isn't someone doing something about it? That is the analogy I use to clarify that number for them and that they CAN do something about it. In fact I believe they are the only ones that can solve the problem. They just had to acknowledge that they never think about it until someone they know is killed or hurt. What parents may not realize is that teens don't watch the news and so they are tuned out to what we all see in the news here everyday, yet another teen related car crash, injury or death. I simply let them know it could be them or a friend and they have the power to change that by creating one simple, clear, thought provoking message that speaks directly to them as teenagers."

Teen Safe Driver Contest Details

This year, 3 PSA's per school will be accepted for judging. A panel of teens will select 4 from all entries received that best represent a teen driven and focused message related to one or more of the following:

• Distracted Driving
• Texting/Talking
• Seat Belts
• Other Teen Passengers
• Speeding

The criteria for judging will be the question "Which of these PSA's will make you seriously think about the way you drive or ride with another teen and change your own habits?"

With the help of their news partner, First Coast News (WJXX Channel 25/WTLV Channel 12)
Those 4 PSA's will be placed on www.firstcoastteens.com from April 25-May 5 where all of Jacksonville can go online and vote for their favorite. The winner will be based on most votes and prizes awarded live on FCN's Good Morning Jacksonville Saturday May 7th 2011.

• 1st Place.....$4,000 (for TV production equipment/computers)
  Student creators $4,000 to split between creators Winning PSA will be shown on the air throughout month of May.
• 2nd Place......$2,000 (for TV production equipment/computers)
  Student creators $2,000 to split between creators
• 3rd Place.....$1,000 (for TV production equipment/computers)
  Student creators $1,000 to split between creators
• 4th Place..... Pizza Party for the Teacher and Creators

Clip this article and put it on your refrigerator to remind YOU to VOTE!
To learn more about Mothers Against Brain Injury, visit their website www.mabii.org