NZTA encourages kids to get creative about safe school travel

It's time for school children to get creative about safe school travel as three unique competitions draw to a close this term.

Groups of students are encouraged to create a storyboard, shoot a video or write and illustrate a storybook or perhaps all three to win great prizes in the competitions run by the NZ Transport Agency.

The competitions motivate students to do their best in reading, writing and visual arts and the winners will get a further boost to their learning. They will work with professionals to turn their ideas into an actual published video or storybook.

In the storyboard competition, groups of year 1-8 students must create the storyboard for a two-minute video about safe school travel. Judges are looking for a story that would grip viewer's attention. Two winning schools will work with ICT educator Stuart Hale to turn their entry into a video which will run on the NZTA education website. Each school also gets ten Flip Video camcorders and a $1000 in Noel Leeming voucher.

The second competition is to create your own movie. Students should make a 30-90 second digital video about safe school travel. All entries go in the draw to win two top prizes of 10 camcorders, and ten second prizes of $500 Noel Leeming vouchers.

Meanwhile, the NZTA's Feet First programme is running its popular storybook competition again. Last year's winners were the students of Otonga School, who had their entry published, sent to every school library in the land, and animated for YouTube.

The prize this year is once again a workshop at school with publishing professionals who will help students prepare their winning entry for publication.

Jennie Gianotti, the NZTA Education Manager, says safe school travel is an important issue close to the lives of school children and their families. “These competitions make learning about safe school travel creative and fun. Teachers can use them to motivate students while reinforcing their knowledge about how to stay safe.”

The NZTA's education website provides schools with a portal to its teaching and learning resources. Schools can also share their news about school travel projects.

The competitions close on November 12 2010. For more information:
www.education.nzta.govt.nz The Feet First storybook competition:
www.feetfirst.govt.nz/picture-book-competition