February 24th, 2026
Monroe County STOP-DWI is pleased to announce the winners of its 2025 High School Media Contest. Their achievements were recognized during an awards ceremony on Monday, February 23 at 5:30 p.m. at the Ebenezer Watts Building Conference Center.
The contest challenged Monroe County high school students to create original media highlighting the dangers of impaired driving by alcohol or drugs. A total of 16 student entries were submitted in just a short period of time and reviewed by a committee using established judging criteria, including originality, accuracy of information, clarity of messaging, public safety appeal, and production quality.
The following students were selected as the top three winners:
Winnie J., Eastridge High School
Sybil M., Rush-Henrietta High School
Sabina A., Rush-Henrietta High School
Each winner selected their preferred media platform for distribution of their PSA. In December, Monroe County STOP-DWI launched paid advertising for the winning submissions allowing the students to pick their preferred platforms. The campaign was well received and will continue to be used as part of Monroe County STOP-DWI’s ongoing impaired-driving prevention efforts.
“In recent years in Monroe County, alcohol was a contributing factor in over 61% of crashes involving young drivers,” said Monroe County Executive Adam Bello. “The STOP-DWI High School Media Contest put the messaging in the hands of our youth- asking them to craft messages about the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs that would resonate with their peers. The submissions were creative and persuasive, and the winning entries are a testament to their ability to use their voices to yield powerful results.”
“The Monroe County STOP-DWI High School PSA Media Contest encourages students in grades 9 through 12 to use media as a tool for public safety education, reinforcing the message that impaired driving is 100 percent preventable and that responsible choices protect lives.” said Lindsay Tomidy, Monroe County STOP-DWI Coordinator. “The work submitted was truly incredible across the board. We are grateful for the students, the schools who supported their work, and the ability to use their messages going forward throughout our work.”
The Monroe County STOP-DWI Program works to reduce alcohol- and drug-impaired driving through education, enforcement, and community engagement initiatives designed to improve roadway safety throughout Monroe County.
For more information about Monroe County STOP-DWI programs or future contests, please visit https://www.monroecounty.gov/ts where you can also find our social media pages listed.
