Toyota And Discovery Education Announce Finalists For Toyota Teen Driver Video Challenge

SILVER SPRING, Md., April 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota and Discovery Education announced today the top ten finalists in the annual Toyota Teen Driver Video Challenge, the nation's premier teen safe driving program. Beginning today and continuing for the next two weeks, these top ten inspirational videos will appear online for public voting to not only determine the grand prize winner, but to also send a national reminder about the importance of safe teen driving.

Now in its third year, the Toyota Teen Driver Video Challenge, a key component of an ongoing partnership between Toyota and Discovery Education, invites teens across the country to create short videos to inspire their friends to drive more safely and avoid distractions.  Over 1,000 videos were submitted as part of the challenge. The top ten finalists' videos, some humorous in tone or others more poignant in nature, address unsafe driving habits and how distracted driving can change lives forever.

For the next two weeks, the general public can visit www.TeenDrive365.com to view the top ten videos and decide the winner by voting for their favorite. The teen who garners the most votes will win a $15,000 cash prize and be given the opportunity to work with a Discovery film crew to re-create their video as a professional, TV-ready PSA which is eligible to air on Discovery's family of networks. The second place prize is a $10,000 cash prize and a behind-the-scenes trip for two to a Velocity Network show. The third place prize is a $7,500 cash prize.

"For over a decade, Toyota has offered programs and resources that are designed to keep teens safe on the road," said Latondra Newton, Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer, Toyota Motor North America, Inc. "The Toyota Teen Driver Video Challenge embodies our philosophy that great, impactful ideas come from anyone, anywhere. We're thrilled with the creative submissions we received from teens across the country and congratulate our teen finalists."

"The Toyota Teen Driver Video Challenge fosters student collaboration, active research, and creative use of social media and Web 2.0 tools as they develop short videos to express their deepest concerns about safer driving and hopes that their peers embrace driving responsibilities more seriously," said Mary McCullagh an educator at Christopher Columbus High in Miami, Fla.   

Last year's winning video from Ryan Johnston of Corona, Calif. took a humorous look at what driving distractions may have looked like a hundred years ago, while also sending a serious message to teens about the importance of road safety.  His re-created PSA ran across Discovery's family of networks. 

Toyota Teen Driver, a partnership between Toyota and Discovery Education that offers free, online resources for teens, parents and teachers, is part of TeenDrive365 (www.TeenDrive365.com), Toyota's comprehensive initiative designed to help teens and families navigate their teen's first years behind the wheel. Building on the programs and resources Toyota has offered for more than a decade, the program offers a collection of online tools, events, expert advice and tips as well as social media elements.

About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE: TM), the world's top automaker and creator of the Prius, is committed to building vehicles for the way people live through our Toyota, Lexus and Scion brands.  Over the past 50 years, we've built more than 25 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14 manufacturing plants and directly employ more than 40,000 people.  Our 1,800 North American dealerships sold more than 2.5 million cars and trucks in 2013 – and about 80 percent of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 20 years are still on the road today.  

Toyota partners with philanthropic organizations across the country, with a focus on education, safety and the environment.  As part of this commitment, we share the company's extensive know-how garnered from building great cars and trucks to help community organizations and other nonprofits expand their ability to do good. To date, Toyota has contributed more than $700 million to nonprofits in the U.S.  For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyota.com/usa.  

About Discovery Education
Discovery Education is the global leader in standards-based digital content and professional development for K-12, transforming teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content that supports the implementation of Common Core, professional development, assessment tools, and the largest professional learning community of its kind.  Available in over half of all U.S. schools and primary schools in England, community colleges and in 50 countries around the world, Discovery Education partners with districts, states and like-minded organizations to captivate students, empower teachers, and transform classrooms with customized solutions that accelerate academic achievement. Discovery Education is powered by Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK), the number one nonfiction media company in the world. Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

SOURCE Discovery Education