International Award !

Students’ PSA Video Wins Telly Award

Premiere Media and M.A.S.K. Theater from Montgomery High School teamed to produce a Public Service Announcement video to warn young people about the Signs of Abuse

HILLSBOROUGH, NJ – July, 2012 – The Telly Awards has named Premiere Media as a Bronze winner in the 33^rd Annual Telly Awards for their piece titled Know the Signs of Abuse.  With nearly 11,000 entries from all 50 states and numerous countries, this is truly an honor.

In August, 2011, students from Montgomery High School formed a group called M.A.S.K. Theater (Montgomery Advocates for Solidarity and Kindness.)  One of the first projects they worked on was creating a Public Service Announcement (PSA) to enter in a contest sponsored by Leadership Somerset.  The video was a message to students, “Know the Signs of Abuse” and was intended to help the Resource Center of Somerset reach young people of dating age to help them avoid becoming involved in an abusive relationship.  The group worked closely with the Resource Center of Somerset to promote the message.

The video won the Grand Prize at the 2011 Somey Awards presented by Allstate New Jersey Insurance, Advanced Solar Products, Ethicon, Raritan Valley Coummunity College and The Somerset Patriots.  Their original video was recorded by using a cell phone video cam.  When word came that the winning video was going to be premiered on the jumbo screen at TD Bank Ballpark at a Somerset Patriots home game, Resource Center Director of Marketing and Public Relations Anthony Winchatz reached out to Caz Bielen of Premiere Media to see if the short video could be redone in high definition.  Caz was quite excited to help.  Part of his personal mission is to use his communication talents to help others through community service.

Know the Signs of Abuse won a 2012 Bronze Award in the Non-Broadcast Productions – Social Issues category.  This is the third Telly Award presented to Premiere Media.  Caz previously won a Silver and a Bronze Award in 2006 and 2008.

The Telly Awards was founded in 1979 and is the premier award honoring outstanding local, regional, and cable TV commercials and programs, the finest video and film productions, and online commercials, video and films.  Winners represent the best work of the most respected advertising agencies, production companies, television stations, cable operators, and corporate video departments in the world.

A prestigious judging panel of over 500 accomplished industry professionals, each a past winner of a Silver Telly and a member of The Silver Telly Council, judged the competition, upholding the historical standard of excellence that Telly represents.  The Silver Council evaluated entries to recognize distinction in creative work – entries do not compete against each other – rather entries are judged against a high standard of merit.  Less than 10% of entries are chosen as Winners of the Silver Telly, our highest honor.  Approximately 25% of entries are chosen as Winners of the Bronze Telly.

The award winning video can be seen on

Bail set at $300K for Jersey City man accused of pushing ex-girlfriend and their baby out a window

Frederico Bruno, 19, of Rutgers Avenue threw his ex-girlfriend and their 3-month-old baby out a third floor window.

The 20-year-old ex-girlfriend, their child, and the woman's 21-year-old female friend remain in critical condition as a result of the alleged attack at 6:55 a.m. July 27 inside Bruno's former Rutgers Avenue apartment.

The ex-girlfriend was stabbed multiple times and her friend was stabbed numerous times in the face with a kitchen knife and meat cleaver, the complaint says. The mother landed on the child after the fall, officials said.

EnlargeKatharine Egli/The Jersey JournalFrederico Bruno, 19, is being sought by police as a suspect in today's domestic violence incident in Jersey City that left two women and one baby in critical condition.Two women, baby injured in domestic violence incident gallery (11 photos)

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A manhunt led to Bruno's arrest Friday night in Belleville after he was found hiding in a refrigerator in a vacant apartment in Belleville based on a tip from family members, authorities said.

Police believe Bruno let himself into his former apartment with his keys and was hiding when the women and child returned in the morning, Police Chief Tom Comey said at a press conference Friday afternoon on Journal Square.

The former girlfriend was in a rear room with her son when she heard her friend scream during Bruno's attack, and when she attempted to call police, he turned his attack on her, Comey said.

While the mother was holding the child, Bruno pushed both into an air conditioner with such force that the air conditioner, mother and child went through the window and fell into the backyard, Comey said. Bruno then climbed down the fire escape, found a bar stool and beat his former girlfriend with it before fleeing, the complaint says.

The chief said Bruno has had a number of prior run-ins with police, and noted that police had been to the apartment multiple times in the past several weeks. Bruno is charged with two counts of aggravated assault but additional charges are expected, officials said. On Sunday Jersey City police said attempted murder charges are likely.

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden join with Eli Manning, Jeremy Lin, Jimmy Rollins, Evan Longoria, David Beckham, Joe Torre and Andy Katz in this PSA to raise awareness about dating violence. Despite the significant progress made in reducing violence against women, young women continue to face the highest rates of dating violence and sexual assault. In the last year, one in 10 teens has reported being physically hurt on purpose by a boyfriend or girlfriend. One in five young women has been sexually assaulted while in college. In response to these alarming statistics, Vice President Biden launched the 1is2many campaign last year. This campaign focuses his longstanding commitment to reducing violence against women specifically on teens and young women ages 16-24. By targeting the importance of changing attitudes that lead to violence, and educating the public on the realities of abuse, this Administration is leading the way to stop violence against women before it begins.http://www.whitehouse.gov/1is2many

Achieve the Impossible!

Hello Montgomery! You are all cramming in your last hours of study before the last two days of finals next Monday and Tuesday. Then just a half day of school Wednesday and you're FREE.


Now if you're going to start a summer romance, be sure to be safe. Have lots of carefree fun and enjoy yourselves, FLIRT IT UP! ;)


MASK Theater is going to be working our booties off to prepare for next year. We are bumping up all our efforts to make next year (Senior year for lots of our members) a memorable one. 

It should be noted that a few minutes ago, Nik Wallenda finished crossing the Niagara Falls on a tight rope the width of three pennies. This man has made history, and I just wanted to quote him: he said no matter how crazy your dreams are, follow them. His was to walk across a string above a roaring waterfall, and he did it. 


When you set your mind to something, you can reach your goals. Nothing is unattainable. Nothing is impossible.


Search for what's in your heart. Search for what you are, what makes you an individual, and never let anyone or anything get in the way of attaining your dreams.


Congrats Nick, you are truly an inspiration.


Goodnight folks


MASK


http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-06-15/nik-wallenda-niagara-falls-walk/55624724/1

Have the “Domestic Violence Talk” Sooner Rather Than Later

We often think the most difficult rite of parenting is having the “sex talk” with our children as they mature. Imagery of a parent sweating as he or she begins to tell their teenage son or daughter about the birds and the bees is a common reflection for many. After all, a child reaching that stage in life where relationships start to become complicated carries rewards as well as possible consequences is a mile stone, how they handle it can seem to reflect back on how well we as parents have prepared them.

As important as the “sex talk” may be, the “domestic violence talk” is even more critical. Boys and girls start to discover each other early and it’s not at all uncommon to hear from a sixth grader they are going out with someone, meaning they are considering themselves in a relationship. Who defines for them the roles in a relationship? Where do they learn how to express their feelings to the other person in that relationship?

Very often they model their behavior based upon personal observations and what they see and hear through the media. Unfortunately, all too often what they see and hear is behavior that may be questionable at best. Think about the publicity surrounding the assault on pop star Rihanna by her then boyfriend Chris Brown. She has seemingly forgiven him for punching her in the face and biting her, all so they can work together on a music release that appears to glorifying disrespecting women. One young woman even sent out her twitter message, “I don’t know why Rihanna complained. Chris Brown could beat me anytime he wanted to.”

Television shows like The Real Housewives series, and shows aimed at young people like The Jersey Shore, all seem to send the message that it is okay to be demeaning and abusive to others in a relationship, and that even violent behavior is acceptable.

Thankfully not everyone condones or accepts such misguided publicity. Actress Reese Witherspoon says she’s had the “domestic violence talk” with her two young children. She says, “Parents must educate themselves and their children about social media and what constitutes harassment, what is acceptable and what is not.”

As the Global Ambassador for the Avon Foundation for Women, Reese is clued to the issue of domestic violence and is adamant that we must spread the word that domestic violence is not acceptable and must not be condoned.

“We talk about what is abuse. I think it’s important to talk to our daughters – and our sons – in order to educate them at an early age about what’s appropriate and what is absolutely not acceptable,” she adds. The Academy Award winning actress explained that as a mother, it is her responsibility to educate her kids on difficult issues. “We talk about domestic violence and what it means… Although the concept is somewhat foreign to them, they’re starting to understand that this happens to families in our country and all throughout the world.”

 And so we ask you to follow the example of Reese Witherspoon, and encourage every parent to take the time to talk to their children about relationships they hear about through the media, good and bad alike. Help your children understand appropriate and inappropriate behavior and language. Give them a better understanding so when it’s their time to make decisions about entering a relationship, they’ll make a good, safe choice.

Her Own Words – A Child Talks About Her Experience

Love Shouldn’t Hurt

Many memories have had a deep and significant effect on my life, but one stands out in particular as important for other people to know. While most of it I gathered from hearing my family tell it over and over again, it bestowed upon me a vital idea that I personally believe everybody should know.

My introduction to violence prevention occurred when I was only a young child, still in preschool. I was playing and having fun, minding my own business, when a boy, Jake, accidently knocked into me, causing me to tumble to the ground. The teacher, Miss Lola, made Jake apologize to me, as well as retrieve an ice pack and hug me. It turned out the boy enjoyed doing this, so every single day afterwards, he would hit me or knock me down, just so he could retrieve the ice pack and hug me. While there were no cruel intentions behind it, I still did not like being hit, so I asked Miss Lola why Jake kept hurting me. She told me it was because he loved me.

Shortly afterwards, my mother found herself putting a snowsuit on me, preparing me to

Do we REALLY want our children to believe this is how they should see their relationship roles?

face the cold outdoors. I didn’t particularly like it, so I whacked her with my fist. She then paused and explained to me that in this household we don’t hit. She told me that no one ever hits me, and therefore I shouldn’t hit her, or anyone else. I then confessed that someone did hit me. She promptly freaked out, afraid that I was being abused by some grown adult. She asked me who it was, and I told her that Jake had hit me. She was relieved, but still upset. She asked me why Jake hit me, and I gave her the same explanation that Miss Lola gave me: Jake loved me.

Overall, this memory from my early childhood gave me a very significant understanding of the world, about love, hurt, and the messages that are sent to young children about these topics. I think it is important for this memory to be shared because all people should understand the distinguishing factors between love and abuse. Everybody should have love, but no one should be hurt by it.

Jess R. 

Age 14

Grade 8

 

Some Warning Signs of an Abusive Relationship

• Tells you he/she cannot live without you
• Threatens to hurt him/herself or others if you break up
• Has severe mood swings or frequent bad moods
• Wants the relationship to get too serious too quickly
• Believes in rigid gender roles
• Dislikes your parents and friends
• Disrespects his/her mother or generally treats his/her parents badly
• Brags about mistreating other people
• Has trouble controlling his/her temper
• Uses drugs and alcohol (not just experimentation)
• Blames others for his/her problems or feelings

Teens Start Talking (NYAB members)

National Youth Advisory Board members from Loveisrespect.org and Break the Cycle attended a conference in Texas back in January. There, a few members participated in a "truth booth" where they shared their thoughts on questions regarding relationship abuse.

Here is the video!

Teens Start Talking from BeSmartBeWell.com on Vimeo.

They did an awesome job. :)

MASK Theater

The Signs of Abuse (PSA) [RE-SHOT/RE-EDITED!]

Hey everyone!

Thanks to Premiere Media of Hillsborough, MASK was able to re-shoot in HD quality the PSA that we made (on an IPhone!) for the Somerset Someys back in December. In it we highlighted The Resource Center of Somerset.

This video will be showed to all of Patriot's stadium on May 17th. One of our "lucky" members will also be throwing the starting pitch... oh boy. 

Anyways, here's the video! (From our YouTube channel)

Let us know what you think! 

MASK Theater