POINT LOMA – Three Point Loma High School students have swept first through third places in a districtwide public service announcement contest about school safety — and earned $2,500 for their efforts.
First place and $1,200 in prize money went to Seraphina Bush for her video titled “Life is Worth Too Much,” offering an anti-suicide message. Her work is especially poignant, given that a PLHS student tragically ended her life on campus in 2024 while a school football game was happening nearby.
Afterward, the victim’s father noted his family never saw any warning signs that his daughter was struggling, until finding a diary entry after her death. He spoke out, hoping her story would help other parents and young teens avoid such a tragedy.
Second place, along with its $800 in prize money, went to Natalia Ritterman for “PSA.SSSS.” Third place and $500 in contest winnings were claimed by London Kwasizur for his video “Ebike.”
All three students are in the class of theatre instructor Anthony Palmiotto.
“It went from bicycle e-bike safety to vaping in the bathrooms to drunk driving,” said Palmiotto about the PSAs entries. “The contest came about after the Parkland School shooting in Florida. [PLHS] has been doing it since 2017-18.”
“It’s an annual contest, and we’ve done well in it before, but this year was insane,” Palmiotto added. “We’ve never won all three places. And there were 65 entries from around the district.”
The assignment was broad, requiring students to do something about school safety, supporting the “See something, say something,” philosophy of reporting problems.
Palmiotto’s freshman students — Bush and Kwasizur — discussed the PSA contest’s significance and how they interpreted and articulated the theme through film.
“I feel, with my peers generally, that I’ve seen a lot of people struggling,” said Bush. “So, in my film, I wanted to show the beauty in life — and what you stand to lose – and tried to get people to watch out for the people they know. And, if they see something happening in front of them, to reach out, because it really can be the difference between life and death.”
Of his PSA project, Kwasizur said: “I thought of something that affected a lot of people at the school, and one thing a lot of them do is ride an e-bike. I’ve noticed a lot of kids put their heads down or don’t pay a lot of attention while they’re riding. So, I wanted to make a PSA about the dangers of texting and driving or (just) not paying attention.”
What will the PSA winners do with their prize money?
“I’m probably going to take some of the money and give it to my mom or dad because they helped me film,” said Kwasizur. “And then invest (most) of the rest of it and keep a little bit that I can spend.”
“I’m going to pay $200 to another student at the school who helped me film part of it, and $100 on myself,” said Bush. “And the rest I’m going to put into savings.”
Bush said she and most of her classmates used their cell phones to record their PSAs. Both students said everyone was supportive and that their filmmaking efforts were well received by their families and peers.
What advice would both students give to other budding young filmmakers?
“Planning is important, knowing what you’re going to do before you do it,” said Kwasizur. “But it’s (also) important not to let the plans get the best of you. You don’t have to make sure every detail is perfect; just get out there and do it. It’s a great experience.”
“It’s made me want to continue with film,” said Bush of the PSA contest. “It’s just kind of given me the motivation to keep going.”
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