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Montgomery Village Today
By the People, for the People
Montgomery County Teens Win 'Head Up, Phones Down' Video Contest
High school students create videos promoting distraction-free travel
Mar. 27, 2026 at 2:51am
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Nearly 100 Montgomery County high school students entered the annual 'Head Up, Phones Down' video contest, creating videos that encouraged their peers to put away their phones while driving or walking. The individual grand prize winner was Julian Szell from John F. Kennedy High School, and the group grand prize winners were Nubia Abatemam, Grace Mbonguy, Namibia Mustapha, and Grace Tawes from Richard Montgomery High School.
Why it matters
The contest aims to build a culture of safety and responsible phone habits among young people, who are often the most distracted travelers on roads and sidewalks. By having students create the messaging, the county hopes the videos will be more persuasive and impactful for their peers.
The details
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation hosts the annual video contest for high school students across the county. This year, nearly 100 videos were entered from public and private school students, all encouraging their peers to put their phones away while driving or walking. The individual grand prize winner, Julian Szell from John F. Kennedy High School, created a dual-shot production showcasing the different ways teens are distracted by their phones. The group grand prize winners, from Richard Montgomery High School, created a catchy tune on the importance of staying distraction-free.
- The winners were announced on March 27, 2026.
- The annual 'Head Up, Phones Down' video contest has been running for multiple years in Montgomery County.
The players
Julian Szell
A student at John F. Kennedy High School who won the individual grand prize for his video 'It Can Wait'.
Nubia Abatemam, Grace Mbonguy, Namibia Mustapha, and Grace Tawes
Students at Richard Montgomery High School who won the group grand prize for their video 'The Choice is Yours'.
Montgomery County Department of Transportation
The county agency that hosts the annual 'Head Up, Phones Down' video contest for high school students.
Marc Elrich
The Montgomery County Executive who praised the students' leadership and commitment in helping build a culture of safety.
What they’re saying
“We know that for young people, the most persuasive messaging comes from their peers. By participating in this contest, these students are helping to build a culture of safety and inspiring their peers to develop responsible phone habits.”
— Marc Elrich, Montgomery County Executive
What’s next
The Montgomery County Department of Transportation plans to continue hosting the 'Head Up, Phones Down' video contest annually to promote safe, distraction-free travel among young people.
The takeaway
This contest demonstrates how empowering young people to create peer-to-peer messaging can be an effective way to address important safety issues like distracted driving and walking. By giving high school students a platform to share their perspectives, Montgomery County is helping to build a culture of responsibility and awareness around phone use that can have a lasting impact on their community.
