Montgomery County, Maryland MC311
Press Releases - Department of Liquor Control
Megan Lee of Watkins Mill High, Kairo Maysonet Walker of Julius West Middle School Are Top Winners in Montgomery County ‘Keeping It Safe Coalition’ Video Contest
For Immediate Release: Monday, May 13, 2024
Megan Lee of Watkins Mill High School in Montgomery Village and Kairo Maysonet Walker of Julius West Middle School in Rockville were the top winners in their respective categories in the 2023-24 “Keeping it Safe Coalition” student video contest sponsored by Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) and the Montgomery County Police Department. The annual contest encourages teams from County public and private schools to create 30-second public service announcements to educate young people about the risks of under-21 alcohol use.
The winning entries will receive cash prizes for their affiliated school. In this year’s contest, 59 videos were submitted from 31 schools.
Founded in 1992, the Keeping It Safe Coalition (KIS) is an alliance of County departments, local organizations and concerned residents that work to deter underage alcohol access and use. The student video contest was funded by the Montgomery County Department of Police’s Traffic Division.
“Alcohol is the most misused drug by Americans under 21,” said Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich. “The National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that 60 percent of adolescents admit to having at least one alcoholic drink by the time they turn 18. I value every student’s effort to reduce and prevent alcohol use among their peers. I recognize and admire their initiative to create, work together, and submit an entry for the competition. This shows their dedication to their community.”
The KIS Coalition announced the winners at an awards ceremony held on Wednesday, May 8, at the Carver Educational Services Center in Rockville.
“We are happy to support the Keeping it Safe Coalition.” said ABS director Kathie Durbin. “Raising awareness about the dangers and consequences of under-21 alcohol consumption among students is an important endeavor. These videos help young people learn how to fight peer pressure when it comes to alcohol consumption and ways to support friends who have an alcohol problem.”
The 2023-24 high school award winners:
- First Place—Megan Lee from Watkins Mill High School. Will receive a $1,000 prize.
- Second Place—Asher Anantham and Alana Anantham from Montgomery Blair High School, with help from Julius West Middle School. Will receive a $500 prize.
- Third Place—Anjolaoluwa Adeleke from Walter Johnson High School. Will receive a $350 prize.
- Honorable Mention—John F. Kennedy High School. Will receive a $100 prize.
The 2023-24 middle school award winners:
- First Place—Kairo Maysonet Walker from Julius West Middle School. Will receive a $500 prize.
- Second Place—Shady Grove Middle School. Will receive a $300 prize.
- Third Place—Cabin John Middle School. Will receive a $250 prize.
- Honorable Mention—Ariel Callwood and Aylani Callwood from William H. Farquhar Middle School. Will receive a $100 prize.
For the third year in a row, Travel Television, a member of the Keeping It Safe Coalition, sponsored the “most popular video” award for both high school and middle school participants. The award recognized the video with the most online views and “likes.”
The 2023-24 Most Popular video for high school and middle school winners were Ariel and Aylani Callwood from William H. Farquhar Middle School. They will receive $150 payable directly to the students
The winning videos can be viewed on the ABS website.
Through robust alcohol licensing, compliance and training programs, the Division of Licensure, Regulation and Education (LRE) within ABS ensures the responsible sale and service of alcohol. LRE has been an active supporter of the KIS Coalition for decades.
ABS is the alcohol wholesaler of beer, wine and spirits for Montgomery County and operates 27 retail stores throughout the County. In addition, ABS manages alcohol licensing, enforcement and education for more than 1,000 businesses. Generating more than $35 million in net income annually, its profits are used to pay down County debt with a large portion deposited in the general fund to pay for resident services that otherwise would be funded by County tax dollars. Follow ABS on Facebook and X.
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Media Contact: Jocelyn Rawat 202-604-7289