FOUR U.S. ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WIN $10,000 GRAND-PRIZE IN THE KIDSMARTZ™ “SAFETY DANCE” VIDEO CONTEST SPONSORED BY NCMEC AND HONEYWELL
Schools in Brooklyn, N.Y.; Kansas City, Mo.; Yorba Linda, Calif.; and North Miami, Fla. submit the best videos to help kids better understand and avoid abduction
PR Newswire – ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 12, 2015 – After years of analyzing attempted abductions, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children® has identified the tricks used by abductors, and the most successful escape strategies for children. NCMEC and Honeywell (NYSE:HON) are working together to deliver this insight nationwide through KidSmartz™, the premier abduction prevention program that equips teachers and parents with tools to help protect children.
A key component of the program is the KidSmartz “Safety Dance” Video Contest. From January through March, elementary schools were asked to submit videos of their students dancing to the new KidSmartz “Safety Dance,” a reimagining of a popular 1980’s song with new lyrics designed to give kids the knowledge and confidence to avoid abduction.
Today, the four grand-prize winners were announced with a kick-off celebration planned for each school as follows:
- May 12, 9:30 a.m.: P.S. 253 – The Magnet School of Multicultural Humanities in Brooklyn, New York
- May 14, 8:30 a.m.: Liberty Oaks Elementary School in Kansas City, Missouri
- May 27, 9 a.m.: Travis Ranch School in Yorba Linda, California
- May 29, 9:30 a.m.: Holy Cross Lutheran School in North Miami, Florida
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Each school receives a $10,000 cash prize from Honeywell and will be joined by NCMEC and Honeywell for a KidSmartz “Four Rules of Safety” celebration and check presentation.
“In 83 percent of attempted abductions that the National Center has analyzed, kids were able to escape because they were empowered to take action – they ran, they screamed or they fought,” said Linda Krieg, NCMEC acting CEO. “The KidSmartz program is designed to give kids the confidence they need to make smarter and safer decisions when they are faced with potential danger. All of the schools who entered this contest are setting a great example by making the safety of their students a priority.”
A total of 65 submissions were received from across the country and winners were selected by more than 70,000 public votes and a panel of judges.
KidSmartz delivers critical safety information through downloadable educational materials such as music and videos that reinforce the KidSmartz “Four Rules of Safety”:
- Check First
- Take a Friend
- Tell People “No”
- Tell a Trusted Adult
“We’ve partnered with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children for more than a decade to help keep children safer,” said Mike Bennett, President of Honeywell Hometown Solutions, the company’s corporate citizenship initiative “We’re excited to see schools and communities embracing the KidSmartz program, and we’re proud to join the National Center in celebrating the creative and amazing work of these teachers and students.”
KidSmartz includes an abduction prevention lesson plan for Grades K-5 that uses videos and engaging animations to teach simple safety rules. The content also includes messages from KidSmartz spokesperson Tia Mowry, star of the Nickelodeon TV sitcom “Instant Mom” and a real-life mother.
The KidSmartz curriculum and related materials are available for download at www.KidSmartz.org. For more information, check out KidSmartz on Facebook and Twitter.
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About the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is the leading 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization working with law enforcement, families and the professionals who serve them on issues relating to missing and sexually exploited children. Established in 1984 and authorized by Congress to serve as the nation’s clearinghouse on these issues, NCMEC operates a hotline, 1-800-THE-LOST® (1-800-843-5678), and has assisted law enforcement in the recovery of more than 205,550 children. NCMEC also operates the CyberTipline, a mechanism for reporting child pornography, child sex trafficking and other forms of child sexual exploitation. Since it was created in 1998, more than 4.7 million reports of suspected child sexual exploitation have been received, and more than 142 million suspected child pornography images have been reviewed. NCMEC works in partnership with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. To learn more about NCMEC, visit www.missingkids.com. Follow NCMEC on Twitter and like NCMEC on Facebook.
About Honeywell Hometown Solutions
KidSmartz™ the “next generation” of Got2BSafe! is part of Honeywell Hometown Solutions, the company’s corporate citizenship initiative, which focuses on five areas of vital importance: Science & Math Education, Family Safety & Security, Housing & Shelter, Habitat & Conservation, and Humanitarian Relief. Together with leading public and non-profit institutions, Honeywell has developed powerful programs to address these needs in the communities it serves. For more information, please visit https://citizenship.honeywell.com/.
About Honeywell
Honeywell (www.honeywell.com) is a Fortune 100 diversified technology and manufacturing leader, serving customers worldwide with aerospace products and services; control technologies for buildings, homes, and industry; turbochargers; and performance materials. For more news and information on Honeywell, please visit www.honeywellnow.com.
Media Contacts:
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
703-837-6111
[email protected]
Kerry Kennedy
Honeywell Hometown Solutions
973-455-4087
[email protected]