Rainbow Injury Prevention Center

Finalists in the Use It or Lose It High School Seat Belt Challenge performed on stage and displayed their works of art at the House of Blues in downtown Cleveland on May 19, 2009.  The event was part of the local Click It or Ticket campaign kick-off.  Representatives from each participating school was in attendance for the conclusion of the school competition for highest and most improved belt use rate.  The results were:

School Competition:

• Most improved seat belt use rate:  Bedford High School
• Highest seat belt use rate:  Broadview-Heights High School

Song Contest:

• 1st Place: Theo Locke, Bedford High School – “Die’n in the Ride”
• 2nd Place: Maya Rosenblum, Orange High School – “Escaping Fate”
• 3rd Place: Leroy Turner, Orange High School – “Life at Hand”

Video Contest:

• 1st Place: Bedford High School
• 2nd Place: Orange High School
• 3rd Place: Garfield High School
• Runner-up:  Mayfield High School

Poster Contest:

• 1st Place: Steven Molnar, Mayfield
• 2nd Place: Kaitlyn Wagner, Mayfield
• 3rd Place: Jesse Huettner, Orange
• Runner-up: Tim Bravlasky, Mayfield

What is the Use It or Lose It high school challenge?

With the support of a grant from Kohl’s Cares for Kids, Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital has designed Use It or Lose It to increase teens’ seat belt use in Cuyahoga County, Ohio.  Schools compete in raising safety belt use rates and designing peer messaging, with the chance to win money for your school and cool prizes for students.  In building school spirit around the call for buckling up, Use It or Lose It capitalizes on the fact that the majority of teens do buckle up regularly and puts social pressure on those who do not.

In addition to the competition for highest belt use, classes or individual students in participating schools also can choose to enter any or all of the three creative messaging contests:  creating a public service announcement, song/rap, or billboard art that promotes teen seat belt use and responsible driving.