Students Recognized for Promoting Safe, Alcohol-Free Choices Among Youth
Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) has announced the winners of the 2025-26 Keeping it Safe (KIS) Student Video Contest and the inaugural Sober Vibes Essay Contest. Students from Richard Montgomery High School and Herbert Hoover Middle School earned top honors in this year’s contest.
The annual Keeping It Safe Student Video Contest encourages teams from public and private schools to create 30-second public service announcements that educate young people about the risks of under-21 alcohol use. Winning schools receive cash prizes to support student activities and programs.
The new Sober Vibes Essay Contest invited Montgomery County high school juniors and seniors from public, private, and home-school programs to write persuasive letters encouraging peers to avoid alcohol before, during, and after prom. Essay contest winners will receive limousine service for up to 10 people.
Both initiatives are part of the County’s ongoing efforts to prevent under‑21 alcohol use and encourage students to promote safe decision‑making among their peers.
“Our young people are some of the strongest voices we have in promoting health and safe communities,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Programs like these give students an opportunity to speak directly to their peers, use their creativity in positive ways, and take leadership roles in helping prevent underage alcohol use. We are proud of the way these students are looking out for one another and contributing to the well-being of the community.”
The Keeping It Safe coalition is an independent countywide partnership focused on preventing underage alcohol use by reducing access to alcohol, limiting youth exposure, and promoting community responsibility.
“These contests are an important part of our prevention efforts because they engage young people directly in conversation about under‑21 alcohol use,” said ABS Director Kathie Durbin. “Messages created by students often resonate more strongly with their peers because they are authentic and relatable. By encouraging youth leadership and advocacy, we are helping build safer and healthier communities.”
Keeping It Safe Student Video Contest Winners
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High School Division
First Place: Richard Montgomery High School Students: William Baranick and Gabriel Lange
Second Place: Winston Churchill High School Students: Aron Matsuyama, Jessica Tang, and Amy Chen
Third Place: Walt Whitman High School Student: Zixuan Wang
Honorable Mention: Northwest High School Student: Tihun Oler
Middle School Division
First Place: Herbert Hoover Middle School Student: Isis Li
Second: John Poole Middle School Students: Eva Pandey and Charlotte Kline
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Third Place: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School
(Contest winner is represented by school affiliation only due to privacy preferences.)
Honorable Mention: Shady Grove Middle School Students: Thomas Rudmann and Brian Healy
Sober Vibes Essay Contest Winners
Evelyn Attey, Wheaton High School
Elise Bradley, Magruder High School
Montgomery County Alcohol Beverage Services generates tens of millions in annual net income. Those funds help pay down County debt, with a significant portion deposited into the County’s general fund to support services that would otherwise rely on tax dollars.
Residents can follow ABS on Facebook and X.
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Read the original article at mcgov