NEWS RELEASE: September 15, 2008
FROM: The Kansas Highway Patrol
CONTACT: Deputy Commissioner of Education Dale M. Dennis (785) 296-3871
Technical Trooper Edna R. Buttler (785) 296-6800
Scholarship Contest Announced
Contest Encourages Students to Promote the Kansas School Safety Hotline
Kansas students are the first line of defense when it comes to preventing violence in their schools. To help promote the Kansas School Safety Hotline, the Kansas Department of Education is announcing a scholarship contest open to any Kansas resident who will be graduating from an accredited high school in the 2008-09 school year in the state of Kansas.
Students are often aware of the potential of violence in their schools before the act occurs. To answer the need for an anonymous and secure way for students to report the possibility of violence, the Kansas Department of Education and the Kansas Highway Patrol partner together to operate the Kansas School Safety Hotline (1-877-626-8203). This hotline is a toll free number available 24 hours per day, 365 days per year to give students, parents, and community members the opportunity to report any impending school violence. Upon receipt of a call, dispatchers will notify appropriate law enforcement agencies and/or the office of the superintendent of schools depending upon the severity of the situation.
The contest is comprised of three categories. 1) a 30 second public service announcement for television, 2) a 30 second public service announcement for radio and 3) an 11x17 poster. Three scholarships will be awarded for each category; first place: $1,250, second place: $750 and third place: $500. The scholarships will be applied to any accredited institution of higher learning in the state of Kansas.
"What better way is there to promote the Kansas School Safety Hotline, than by letting the students use their talents?" said Deputy Commissioner of Education Dale M. Dennis. "This contest is an exciting opportunity for both Kansas students and the Kansas School Safety Hotline."
Entries may be comprised of the following topics, school violence, bullying and cyber-bullying, battery and abuse, or weapons and bombs. Entries must be postmarked no later than December 15, 2008. Full contest rules, entry forms, and posters are available online at www.kansashighwaypatrol.org.