$32,500 awarded to 13 schools in six central Maryland counties and Baltimore City

BALTIMORE (Jan. 18, 2017) – Baltimore Gas and Electric today announced Krieger Schechter Day School as a repeat winner of the fifth annual BGE Wires Down Video Challenge at an all-school assembly in Pikesville. The yearly contest encourages elementary schools to create their own version of BGE’s popular “Wires Down” electric safety commercial for the chance to win between $1,000 and $10,000 to fund a school enrichment project.  This year’s winning video will be played on all four Baltimore area television stations this weekend.
                                                                                                  
During the event, BGE employees gave a Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) presentation for the students.  BGE President and Chief Operating Officer Stephen J. Woerner later presented Rabbi Moshe Schwartz and Principal Wendy Gelber a check for $10,000 along with a trophy to Mr. Alex Thaler and the students who created the grand prize video.

“For a second consecutive year I had the privilege to announce Krieger Schechter Day School as the winner of BGE’s Wires Down Video Challenge,” said Stephen J. Woerner, president and chief operating officer for BGE.  “The administration and students at the school are committed to learning about electrical safety and I thoroughly enjoyed watching their creative and energetic video.”

In an effort to enhance its curriculum to include more aspects of STEM, the school intends to use the prize money to buy specialized STEM Inquiry Kits for their science units. The kits include activities and hands-on experiments in varying subject areas including weather, electricity, rocks and minerals, sound, and food chemistry.

BGE’s Wires Down Video Challenge is geared towards elementary schools in its central Maryland service area. This year, more than 35,000 votes were cast during online voting in November for the videos that were submitted by 19 schools from across Maryland.  Originally produced in 2000, the Emmy Award-winning BGE “Wires Down” commercial with its “do not, do not, do not touch” melody aims to help raise awareness of electricity hazards, especially among young children.

BGE will award a total of $32,500 to the following winning schools from this year’s challenge:

• BGE Star Power Award ($10,000) – Krieger Schechter Day School
• BGE Teacher Award ($500) – Alex Thaler, Krieger Schechter Day School
• BGE Spotlight Award ($5,000) – Mays Chapel Elementary School
• Cast ‘N Crew Award ($3,000) – North Bend Elementary School
• Director’s Cut Award ($3,000) – Jarrettsville Elementary School
• Music Maestro Award ($3,000) – Francis Scott Key School
• Screen Gem - Anne Arundel County ($1,000) – Edgewater Elementary School
• Screen Gem - Baltimore City ($1,000) – Fallstaff Elementary/Middle School
• Screen Gem - Baltimore County ($1,000) – Perry Hall Christian School
• Screen Gem - Carroll County ($1,000) – St. John Catholic School, Westminster
• Screen Gem - Harford County ($1,000) – Riverside Elementary School
• Screen Gem - Howard County ($1,000) – Our Lady of Perpetual Help School
• Screen Gem - Prince George’s County ($1,000) – James H. Harrison Elementary School
• Rock The Vote Award (backpacks with safety gear) – Mays Chapel Elementary School
• Special Judges Panel Award ($1,000) – St. John the Evangelist School

To date, BGE has awarded $145,000 to 43 elementary schools across central Maryland as part of the BGE Wires Down Video Challenge. For more information on the contest and for a complete listing of winning schools and submitted video entries, visit bgevideochallenge.com.

Public and private elementary schools in the BGE service area are also welcome to schedule free, in-person safety demonstrations from BGE safety experts who arrive in real utility bucket trucks or other service vehicles. To schedule a demonstration, please email our community affairs team at BGEEducationalOutreach@bge.com.