Vernon students create TV commercials to promote being 'Above the Influence'

VERNON — The Vernon Coalition's Youth Program has teamed up with the Above the Influence organization to do all they can to ensure that young people in the community live up to their potential as productive and drug-free members of society.

"We have been working with them for over a year," said Gemma Chalkley, Vernon Coalition's youth coordinator. "We have made an effort to promote the idea of a drug-free community."

"Made by Me," an Above the Influence campaign is one such idea, where asked young people, ages 13 to 18, were asked to submit pitches for the organization's next national TV commercial. Three students from Vernon have submitted entries.

Entries had to be uploaded via Facebook or Twitter by July 10. People are now able to vote once a day for the idea they would like to see used as the next Above the Influence national TV commercial.

The winners will be announced Aug. 16 and one first-prize grand entry will go on to work with a professional director in New York who will take their idea and turn it into a real live TV commercial.

The Vernon Coalition held an event to help those interested in entering the contest.

"We had young people come and brainstorm," Chalkley said. "We invited them to pitch ideas and watched commercials that have been used before. We used storyboards and worked to make it into a TV commercial."

The event had all sorts of resources to help those in attendance.

"We showed them examples," Chalkley said. "Tony Selimo of Sussex County Community College’s Broadcast and Media Department came to give some tips and pointers. We even had them practice a few times."

The efforts paid off because three Vernon students now have videos entered in the contest. They are 14-year-old Olivia Bolcato, 13-year-old Brittany Gaule and 13-year-old Rebecca Annunziata. Each had a unique inspiration for what would ultimately be the pitch for their respective commercials.

"Kids get wasted at parties all the time," Bolcato said. "They don't realize the consequences until it’s too late, and they wake up from their nightmare full of regrets."

Gaule knew what she wanted to do as soon as she heard about the campaign.

"As soon as I heard of the Made By Me challenge I knew I wanted my commercial to include the issue of underage drinking and driving," she explained. "In my town of Vernon recently, an issue of substance abuse has flourished. People make the careless choice of getting in that car to take control of the wheel after being under the influence. So I wanted my commercial to encourage people to stay above the influence by avoiding addiction to harmful substances."

Meanwhile Annunziata figured out what she wanted to do after a bit of research.

"From seeing the Above the Influence commercial on TV about underage drinking and how you can lose so much I wanted to do my idea on something different so I figured 'stress' is a huge part of teen lives today," she said.

The three students also hope to inspire others with their commercials, especially if they were to win the voting contest.

"I hope that after people view my commercial, with my target audience being teens, they will think twice before getting in their car next time they are under the influence," Gaule said.

Bolcato also wants teens to think about the decisions that they are making.

"I hope my commercial will inspire young people not to give into negative peer pressure," she explained. "Many kids don't want to say no because they want to fit in with the older kids. Instead they should do what's right and go with their gut feeling."

Annunziata wants young people to look for an alternative.

"If there are people out there who are keeping the stress and the 'bad stuff' in they will hopefully be inspired to do something that they enjoy to get it out."

Votes can be cast through Aug. 9 at the Above the Influence Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AbovetheInfluence.