Students Make a Difference with PSA

CHICKASHA, Oklahoma -- An award winning public service announcement has many Oklahomans thinking twice and texting and driving.

There is a group of students dedicated to making a difference in their community when it comes to safety on the road.

The scene was set on a low-traffic street in the outskirts of Chickasha. Meant to incite emotion from its viewers, the public service announcement focuses on the consequences of texting and driving.

Students at the Canadian Valley Technology Center started from scratch to create the story, part of their assignment for Interactive Media class that they call, "is it worth it?"

"You see it all the time driving down the road, and you just don't want to be the next person to get hit," former CVTC student Travis Stidham said.

Endless hours and several months of assembling the video, the students hoped that once it was on the air it would make a difference. And, it has.

"A lot of students of mine have come in and said, ‘I'm not doing it. I'm not texting and driving," Interactive Media Teacher Sheila McMurry said.

The students won first place in the state of Oklahoma at the Business Professionals of America conference. They also went on to win first place at nationals in Dallas.

Laws banning texting and driving for all drivers have been passed in 17 states. Oklahoma is not one of them.