WINNERS of the 2012 HensonFuerst PSA Contest for Bicycle Safety

Wow! The talent in North Carolina schools is impressive!

After a tough deliberation, we are finally able to announce the winners of our fourth annual bicycle safety public service announcement (PSA) contest:

  • In the middle school category, the first-place winner is Makaila Roberts, 7th grade student at West Edgecombe Middle School in Rocky Mount;
  • In the high school category, the first-place winner is Alex Hendrix, a 10th grade homeschool student in Wake Forest.

And if creative talent weren’t enough, the students are also articulate:

“I wanted to focus on the importance of helmet safety for my PSA, but I didn’t want to bore my audience with just plain facts,” said Alex, who’s been making movies since he was 11. “So, I decided to make my PSA more of a story, rather than a safety alert video. Ultimately, I want people to realize that helmet safety is extremely important. I know wearing one may make you look funny or feel uncomfortable, but it’s a lot better than being on a hospital bed wishing you had protected your head.”

Makaila agrees with Alex and wants her PSA to teach viewers a lesson. “I hope people realize you are never too young or too old to follow safety rules and wear a helmet. Many teens focus on appearance and what others think about them, and this video will help people recognize that safety is more important than what you look like.”

PSAs were judged on students’ abilities to analyze the topic and produce a quality video. As the first place winners, Alex and Makaila had the choice between an Apple MacBook with movie-making software or a $1,500 gift card—both chose the gift cards. Alex plans on using his prize to upgrade his current video equipment.

The winning students’ schools also will receive monetary donations.

“I am definitely going to do something related to filmmaking in the years to come,” Makaila said. “It doesn’t matter if it’s directing, acting, writing, or editing, because they’re things that I love to do. Only the people who made impactful movies are remembered. I want to be somebody like that. Somebody people won’t forget. I want to impact the world, and I am now one step closer to fulfilling my dream.”

(Watch the winning videos here:  2012 HensonFuerst PSA Contest Winners)

“I would like to thank HensonFuerst for giving students like me the opportunity to use our talents for a great cause and to help us grow in our dreams as aspiring filmmakers,” Alex said. “I would also like to encourage all of the other contestants who entered to continue to produce such excellent videos!”

The law firm also would like to congratulate the following students:

  • 2nd Place middle school winner is Jonathan Brechbiel of Raleigh;
  • 2nd Place high school winner is Mark Adkins of Wake Forest;
  • 3rd Place middle school winners are Karen Adkins & Lauren Brown of Wake Forest;
  • 3rd Place high school winners are Jacob Bell & Jedidiah Aurillo of Louisburg.

You can watch all of this year’s entries on our website at www.LawMed.com/contest.

About the HensonFuerst Annual Bicycle Safety Contest

Four years ago, the firm represented the husband of a local cyclist who was killed by a motorist while riding her bike. Members of the firm pledged all of the attorney fees from the case to fund bike safety awareness programs, such as the PSA contest and a series of cycling safety videos. For more details about the contest, visit www.LawMed.com/contest.

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3110 Edwards Mill Rd Suite 100,
Raleigh, NC 27612
P (919) 781-1107
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Rocky Mount Office

2317 Sunset Ave,
Rocky Mount, NC 27804
P (252) 443-2111
F (252) 443-9429

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