Billie Laverghetta's class project earned her hundreds ofdollars and the chance to have her video aired throughoutIndiana.
Laverghetta and her fellow students in the Advanced SingleCamera class produced 30-second Public Service Announcements aboutthe dangers of smoking in four categories.
The Fisher Institute For Wellness and Gerontology paid thewinners of each category $375. The winning videos will be shown onWIPB and maybe other Indiana television markets, Kelly Schoonaert,associate director of the Fisher Institute, said.
Jim Shasky, telecommunications instructor and teacher of theclass, said the contest provided good experience for thestudents.
"It makes you feel like a professional because you get paid forthe work," Shasky said. "In this business, no one looks at thegrades. They'll want to see proof of what you can do."
Students in groups of two created at least two PSA's coveringsmoking in the work place, cost of cigarettes, second-hand smoke ormanipulation by tobacco companies.
Laverghetta and her partner, Nathan Noble, won the cost ofsmoking category.
Their video featured Muncie resident Lora Rogers, who is dyingfrom emphysema caused by smoking.
"(The video) was the most powerful one," Laverghetta said.
Laverghetta's and Noble's video was the only one to featuresomeone who was actually dying from a smoking-related illness.
Kenneth Loechner and Tony Kubek won both the second-hand smokeand the campus policy categories.
Shasky said that Loechner and Kubek's second-hand smoke videowas the most powerful one in the class.
"The photography was excellent, and it was very well done,"Shasky said.
The video begins with showing a room of college men playingcards. The camera then shows a pregnant woman in the kitchen, whocomes out to stand behind a man smoking. The sounds of babiescrying is heard.
Though Todd Green's video was also about second hand smoke, hewon the fourth prize.
His video featured a man talking about his mom who died fromsecond-hand smoke and ends by saying, "I killed my mom."
Green said he was excited because it will be the first time he'shad his work on air.
Most students worked for about three weeks, Laverghettasaid.
Shasky said the students spent about $100 on editing andproducing the videos.
The contest required the videos to appeal to 18- to 24-year-oldsand show aspects of Muncie or Ball State.
Shasky said everyone in the class did an excellent job andsurprised the judges with the quality of the work.
"They were like a professional in Chicago," Shasky said. "Theyworked their butts off."
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