Student Promotes Safe Driving, Wins Contest

Screenshot/“Extremes”A screenshot from Jack Glicker’s public service announcement, “Extremes,” shows the Huntington High School senior as he discusses the importance of safe driving.

By Sean Austin
awroblewski@longislandergroup.com

A Huntington High School senior’s safe-driving video has earned him the top prize in a regional contest held by the American Automobile Association.
Jack Glicker filmed the video as a school project, but was encouraged to enter it into the Northeast Traffic Safety Contest by his teacher, Heather Swan, head of the school’s video arts program.
“We do about five projects a year and she encourages us to enter any contests we can,” Glicker said.
His video, “Extremes,” is available via YouTube (Bit.ly/2qAXo17). In it, Glicker runs through a series examples of actions that can typically distract drivers, such as using a cell phone or having a conversation with a passenger, and then shows some comedic, extreme examples to take care of those distractions.
The point of it all, he said, is that “you don’t have to go to these extremes to be a safe driver.”
This was not the first year that Glicker had entered this particular contest. He submitted an entry last year, too, and finished second. Finding out that he won it this year was “really exciting,” he said.
This year’s entry differed from last year’s, he added.
“Last year I tried to be more of a traditional public service announcement, more on the sad side,” Glicker said. “This year I wanted to do something a little more humorous and I think it paid off.”
Along with the honor of the top prize in the contest, Glicker also took home $750.
Glicker wrote and filmed the video himself. He, however, recruited some of his friends to appear in the video with him. Credited actors are Matt Gelb, Drew Monohan, James Shea and Ryan Stieve.
Glicker said he studied other PSAs to help better craft his own. His own concern and awareness for traffic safety has increased since filming the video, he said. He’s set to speak about distracted driving at a Young Leaders Club event on June 7, 7 p.m. at the Cinema Arts Centre in Huntington.
Community focus has also been a focus for Glicker. He has participated in Relay For life, Young Leaders, and student government. He said he’s done graphic design and/or video work through each of those experiences.
“I always try to contribute whatever I can to these clubs,” he said.  “I’ve always been a visual person, always into visual arts.”

Glicker plans to attend the University of Delaware in the fall and major in graphic design.