WASHINGTON, D.C., April 14, 2010 – Eight students in the nation were selected as grand-prize winners in GEICO's 23rd annual Safety Belt Poster and Video Contest:
- Darwin Lau, Virginia, took top honors in the 6-8 age group for urging students to "have a safe trip, lifesaver!"
- Amanda Cho, Virginia, won the 9-11 age group showing that she loves to use her safety belt with a colorful and bright design.
- Colleen Song, Virginia, led everyone in the age 12-15 age group. Her theme of a buckled earth and intergalactic highway was unique to other entries.
- Nahun Kim, Virginia, earned the national title for the second consecutive year, this time in the 16-18 age group. Her poster shows a colorful family buckled up and enjoying a safe ride.
- Michael Franck, Florida, won the computer-generated poster category. His seat belt angel with outstretched wings stood out with the most clear and focused message of safety.
- Jessie Havice, Jessica Geist and Tara Hoekman of Kansas are the first-place winners in the video portion of the contest. Their video shows how one small decision can have profound consequences.
"Every year the grand-prize winners continue to surprise me," said Tony Nicely, GEICO chairman. "It's encouraging to us to know that students continue to value the message of seat belt safety. If we can reach students at a young age, hopefully we'll be able to make a difference."
GEICO awards each national winner $650 and their schools receive $500 for art supplies and materials.
GEICO also provided another 75 students with cash prizes ranging from $50 to $150 for earning the top honors in their regional competitions. To see the complete list of winners, visit www.geicosafetycontest.com.
Serving as judges for this year's competition were Amy Schick of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Suzie Angulo from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and Chris Noel of Particle, a graphic design firm.
GEICO (Government Employees Insurance Company) is a member of the Berkshire Hathaway family of companies and is the third-largest private passenger auto insurance company in the United States. GEICO provides millions of auto insurance quotes to U.S. drivers annually. The company is pleased to serve more than 11 million private passenger customers and insures more than 18 million vehicles (auto & cycle).
GEICO's online service center helps policyholders take care of policy sales, policy changes, claims reporting and to print insurance ID cards.
GEICO also provides insurance quotes on motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), travel trailers and motorhomes (RVs). Coverage for boats, life, homes and apartments is written by non-affiliated insurance companies and is secured through the GEICO Insurance Agency, Commercial auto insurance and personal umbrella protection are also available.
For more information, go to www.geico.com.
