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2-21-2007 By MICHELLE MILLER Staff Writer According to junior Klotzbach, UC is one of the smaller schools participating, and most of the schools that have been recognized in the past usually have been universities. She said she believes the first year UC participated in the competition was in 2006, when the team took an honorable mention for its campaign for Habitat for Humanity. Armitage, also a junior, said he thinks Safe Kids Buckle Up is a wonderful campaign that tries to help keep kids safe in and around motor vehicles. He said he feels the competition is overwhelming at times, but he believes it will be worth it in the long run, because it will be a good resume builder and will add to his portfolio of accomplishments. "It is much easier to work on this campaign knowing that it is a good cause and something I believe in," said Armitage. "I can do the work honestly and whole-heartedly." According to Safe Kids Worldwide, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death of children ages three to 14. The priority stakeholders for this year's case study will include the teen and "tween" population ages 11 to 14. "Targeting a younger audience for the Chevrolet Safe Kids Buckle Up program will be a great change and pose a unique challenge for our members who traditionally have worked on campaigns aimed at the 18 to 24 yearold group," said Melissa Cuhran, PRSSA national president. Klotzbach said the main goal is to reach the 11 to 14 year olds to reinforce the importance of wearing one's seat belt and riding in the back seat of vehicles until age, weight and height requirements allow them to move to the front seat. "Safe Kids feels that reaching this age group is of extreme importance because they (those 11 to 14) are becoming more independent and spending more time in vehicles with drivers other than their parents," said Klotzbach. Klotzbach said her team began working on its campaign in early November, when she and her teammates were recommended by Patricia Swann, associate professor of public relations at UC. Klotzbach said the Bateman Competition is considered a 400-level public relations elective at UC, and students who participate receive three credits as well as the chance to be nationally recognized in the Bateman Competition. The UC team planned its campaign over winter break, and Klotzbach said that was a little difficult, but the team was able to manage and pull all of the loose ends together upon their arrival back at college. Klotzbach said she and her teammates came up with the campaign slogan "Saving Lives ... One Click at a Time," which she said encompasses the team's main goal of the campaign. "The slogan helped guide us in formulating the campaign and serves as our key message to Otsego County residents," said Klotzbach. Bateman teams may consist of a minimum of four members and a maximum of five members. The UC team includes Klotzbach, Armitage, senior Amanda Giruzzi, and sophomore Nicole Adamczyk. Klotzbach said the information session at the Cooperstown Farmers' Market went extremely well. She said quite a few brochures, pencils and Safe Kids Life Savers were given away. "More importantly, we talked to a large number of parents and reminded them of how important it is for both them and their children to buckle up while in a car," said Klotzbach. "It seems that our work really centered on reinforcing positive vehicular safety habits, as many people said that they already abided by many of the safety rules we were advocating." While Klotzbach and Armitage were in Cooperstown, their teammates were at the National Soccer Hall of Fame presenting the Kick it and Click Awareness Display. The event coincided with the Hall of Fame's Girls and Women Sports Day Programming. The information sessions at the Cooperstown Winter Carnival Farmers' Market and the Hall of Fame were the first events the team hosted for its campaign. According to Klotzbach, the team also plans to visit an Otsego County school and plans to host a teen event at Interskate 88. The team has scheduled a "Click ‘n' Roll" Seat Belt Safety Awareness Roller Skating Party on Saturday, Feb. 23 from 2 to 5 p.m. and from 7 to 11 p.m. The event is open to kids of all ages, but will feature safety information targeted at children over 11 years of age. Admission to the open skate event will cost $5. |
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