Pedestrians,posters and prizes - NRSC hosts second awards ceremony

Mel Cooke, Gleaner Writer

There was an unexpected change to the 2013 National Road Safety Poster Competition's categories on Thursday afternoon, when the results were announced at The Knutsford Court Hotel, New Kingston.

Paula Fletcher, executive director of the National Road Safety Council (NRSC), which organises the competition, announced that prizes would be awarded in three categories, instead of the two previously announced.

So while entries were accepted for
two categories - category one for six- to 12-year-olds and category two
for 13- to 19-year-olds - the contest's organisers further subdivided
the 54 posters received. The result was three categories - category one
for six- to nine-year-olds, category two for 10- to 14-year-olds and
category three for 15- to 19-year-olds.

And that meant
more winners and prizes for a poster competition which focused on
'Pedestrian Safety - the Street Smart Way!'

Topping
category one was Laraine Williams of Mona Heights Prep. Mishawn Chin-See
of Wolmer's Girls was first in category two and Deon Simone Green from
Brown's Town Community College was the best category three
entrant.

The second-place winners in categories one,
two and three respectively were Dominic Taffe (Harrison Prep), Aisha
Wilson (Spanish Town Primary) and Janel Hamilton (Jonathan Grant High's
4-H Club).

Emily Williams of Mona Heights Primary was
third in category one, Jody-Ann Campbell of Jonathan Grant High's 4-H
Club took the category two equivalent and Natalia Surgeon of the East
Street Junior Centre (run by the Institute of Jamaica) ended up in third
position for category three.

Noticeable
improvement

In giving the judges' report, Fletcher
said that, compared to last year, the quantity and quality of entrants
increased in all categories. There was also a notable widening of the
pool of entrants, with students from the university and
community-college level entering as well as a police youth club, 4-H
clubs and the East Street Junior Centre.

"Most entries
showed a high level of imagination and creativity," Fletcher said,
adding that there was a "noticeable improvement in the placement of
headlines". In addition, "most of the entries had a focal
point".

However, Fletcher reminded all that it was a
poster competition, as "in some cases there was an extreme use of text".
The range of pedestrians could also have been expanded, as Fletcher
said "most spoke to children, but there are other vulnerable road
users". These include the handicapped and
elderly.

Special mention was made of Laraine Williams,
Deon Green, Asha Wilson and Janel Hamilton. Williams (the category-one
winner) not only used text excellently, but also "made use of correct
(pedestrian) hand signals". Green (who topped category three) also used
the correct hand signals, but also had yellow tape in her poster.
Hamilton (second place in category one) was commended for making the
"message very clear and easy to read", while Wilson (second place in
category two) used cardboard as her canvas and had 3D effect
visuals.

The first, second and third placed entrants
in each category won $30,000, $25,000 and $10,000 respectively, with the
top two entrants in each category also awarded NRSC trophies. The
summer-school scholarships from the Edna Manley College of the Visual
and Performing Arts to each category winner are tenable for next year,
as the annual programme has already started. In addition, there were
prizes for the schools of top competitors and start-up accounts from
Victoria Mutual Building Society for some top-tier
entrants.

Merit awardees were also recognised in all
the categories.

Photos by Mel Cooke