HOUSTON — Houston Independent School District’s transportation department recently received a Bronze Telly from the Telly Awards for its educational safety video “School Bus Shuffle.”

There were nearly 12,000 entries from all 50 states in the U.S. and from other countries submitted for the 35th edition of the awards.  

In honor of National School Bus Safety week in October 2013, the Houston Independent School District transportation department created a music and dance video that covered such topics as proper boarding procedures, how to sit on a bus and the importance of reporting bullying.  

Students from Peck Elementary School, Yates High School and the High School for Visual and Performing Arts were featured in the video, along with district bus drivers and attendants.  

To date, the video has received almost 38,000 views on YouTube.    

The Telly Awards was founded in 1979, and it honors outstanding local, regional and cable TV commercials and programs, the best video and film productions, and online commercials, videos and films.  

A judging panel of more than 500 accomplished industry professionals, each a past winner of a Silver Telly and a member of The Silver Telly Council, judged the competition. Officials said that less than 10% of entries are chosen as winners of the Silver Telly, the highest honor. Approximately 25% of entries are chosen as winners of the Bronze Telly.  

“The Telly Awards has a mission to honor the very best in film and video,” said Linda Day, executive director of the Telly Awards. “The Houston Independent School District transportation department’s accomplishment illustrates their creativity, skill and dedication to their craft, and serves as a testament to great film and video production.”

“This educational safety video was fun to make and well received by our community during National School Bus Safety Week in October,” added Chester Glaude, the district’s transportation operations manager. “Being recognized for this bus safety message is reason for everyone at Houston Independent School District to be proud.”  

Each day, about 925 Houston Independent School District buses travel 84,000 miles as they transport over 32,000 students to and from school.

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