In a creative crusade for workplace safety, six Oregon high schools have won accolades in a media contest, showcasing students' talent in promoting young worker safety. The contest run by the Oregon Young Employee Safety Coalition (O[yes]), marked its 16th year by beckoning teen participants to conceive ads with a powerful hook—inducing their peers to undertake the O[yes] Young Employee Safety Awareness online training.

In a display of ingenuity and social awareness, students from Hermiston, Silverton, Henley, Parkrose, Crescent Valley, and McLoughlin high schools earned top honors as they unfurled their creative banners—via gripping videos and skillful graphic designs—students captured compelling narratives ranging from the subtleties of workplace stress to the fundamental rights of the young laborers, their goal remained singular: to rally their teenage peers to arm themselves with the critical knowledge of workplace safety through O[yes]'s online course.

According to details on the contest web page, the winners in the video category led by Silverton High School's poignant piece "Saying Yes," which secured first place with a $500 prize, followed by Parkrose High School's "The Office Ordeal" and McLoughlin High School's "On the Job Lessons," both tying for the second spot and taking home $400 each; Crescent Valley High School landed in third place with their entry "Do Not Touch," bagging $300.

In the graphic design category, Hermiston High School came out on top with "Don’t Burn Yourself Out," and Henley High School clinched both the second and third places with their entries "Safety is a Full-Time Job" and "Ensure Your Safety," respectively; the aforementioned schools pocketed cash prizes and earned matching awards for their educational institutions, thus promoting a culture of safety and health awareness that goes beyond classroom walls and embeds itself into the fabric of everyday teenage work life.