After reviewing more than 400 entries from middle and high school students across the state, Florida Healthy Kids Corporation Executive Director Rich Robleto recently named Sunny Isles Beach Community School students Belen Mella and Aaron Goldberg winners of the Judges Choice regional award for their television Public Service Announcement entry in the 2010- 2011 Florida KidCare Act-Out for Health Contest [www.actout4health.org]. Belen and Aaron were honored last month during an awards ceremony hosted by Florida Hospital for Children in Orlando.
The contest challenged middle and high school students to create commercial PSAs or billboard ads promoting Florida KidCare, the state and federally supported health insurance program for children under the age of 19.
“The goal of the Florida KidCare Act-Out for Health Contest is to not only foster creativity and engage young people, but also to give them access to Florida KidCare health insurance,” said Robleto. “The contest has proven to be a very effective outreach tool for Florida KidCare in schools and local communities. It’s a unique approach to outreach as the kids who entered our contest are using their voices and talents to promote the importance of health insurance.”
This is the third year for the annual contest, which was created to reach Florida children between the ages of 12 and 18 who are the least likely to have health insurance. The interactive contest website offered students a crash course in advertising, with everything they needed to create a highly customized ad. Contestants were offered the chance to win scholarships for their creative entries.
“Before entering the Florida KidCare Act- Out for Health contest, I don’t think my students had a concept of health insurance,” said Sunny Isles Beach Community School teacher Jenny Levinson. “Not only has the contest taught them about the importance of health care, but now they don’t take having health insurance for granted.”
To view all of the winning billboards and television PSAs, visit www.actout4health.org.
ABOUT FLORIDA KIDCARE:
Florida KidCare offers affordable, quality health insurance for children under the age of 19. Children enrolled in the program receive regular doctor’s visits, dental check-ups, and immunizations. For additional information, visit www.floridakidcare.org.
