By Dane Anderson, Staff Writer

Nine Westlake High School students took home awards from the third annual Travis County Awareness Public Service Announcement Contest that encourages teens to create PSAs to raise awareness of teen dating violence and substance abuse. 

Winners of the contest were honored with a banquet last week at the Travis County Sheriff’s Office. 

“We could not be more thrilled about the talents of these high school students and the successes that lie ahead of them,” Sheriff Greg Hamilton said. “It is imperative that, through our Awareness Campaign, we continue to further emphasize the importance of healthy relationships and healthy choices to every teenager.”

Westlake High School winners were: Winning Film, Teen Dating Violence, Sean Elwood and Valerie James; Second Place, Teen Dating Violence, Alastair Winston and Matthew Gary; Excellence in Reel Messaging, Teen Dating Violence, Carly Berryhill and Jackson Wimberly; Winning Film, Substance Abuse, James Lambrecht and Ross Davis; and Second Place, Substance Abuse, Olivia Reed. 

Elwood and James said they made their film on teen dating violence because they wanted to underscore the point that not all abuse is physical.

“A partner may abuse you through hurtful words, and verbal abuse is something that seems more common in teen     relationships,” said James. 

James said that students in Eanes live in a sheltered environment and may not be as aware of dating violence as other teens.

“But it’s definitely out there and something everyone needs to be aware of,” she said. “We often hear of supposed friends or partners saying really horrible things to each other, so we were trying to convey that this is a form of abuse too. If your partner hits you, that’s a pretty clear form of abuse. However, an undermining of self-confidence through words is also a form of abuse, and kids our age need to know that.”