Denise Continenza, Penn State Extension educator based in Lehigh County, was honored at the National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) 86th annual session, broadcast virtually Sept. 14-16 from Utah.

She led a team that received the third-place national and second-place eastern region NEAFCS Television/Video Communications Award for a project called “Be the One.”

Team members included Andrew DeAngelo and Mike Daniels, both members of the Whitehall-Coplay Communities That Care group, of which she acts as coordinator; Andrea Tessier, community outreach and engagement manager at Penn State Lehigh Valley; and Liz Keptner, director of the multimedia innovations center at the Penn State Lehigh Valley campus.

“Be the One” is a series of short videos about the dangers of underage drinking, social hosting and substance abuse. These were scripted and produced by the team and recorded by members and students.

During the 2019 football season, they were played during home football games at Whitehall High School and shared during school district events, as well as through the district website.

They can be viewed at:

• PSA Parents 1-3: youtu.be/AR-vPB6hvbc

• PSA Parents 2-3: youtu.be/tBlQsosDxsM

• PSA Parents 3-3: youtu.be/LLOriQIcI10

• PSA Parents 3-4: youtu.be/O6ZYAYjQwiI

• PSA Youth 1-3: youtu.be/oPa9CvMMBso

• PSA Youth 2-3: youtu.be/9cPYiEgUPzs

• PSA Youth 3-3: youtu.be/Hu3thoy2Rpk

• PSA Youth 3-4: youtu.be/hONoln1YkLY

The NEAFCS Television/Video Communications Award recognizes excellence in an educational or promotional feature in a regular broadcast or a special program. This award is sponsored this year by the NEAFCS membership and awards fund.

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