Rye High School Digital Media Students Design Posters Promoting Safe Driving and Walking

Rye High School students in the Studio in Digital Media program recently participated in a poster design initiative encouraging safe, non-distracted driving and walking as part of a longstanding partnership with the Rye YMCA. 

The project is presented annually in all fall sections of Studio in Digital Media, an introductory course typically taken by ninth and tenth grade students. Through the assignment, students apply skills in photographic composition, digital post-production, and visual design using tools such as Adobe Photoshop and Procreate to create original posters centered on public safety messaging.  

As part of the learning process, students explore both photography and digital illustration, selecting the medium that best supports their creative vision. To ground the project in real-world impact, classes view the documentary From One Second to the Next, which examines the consequences of distracted driving and helps students understand the significance of the messaging behind their designs. 

Midway through the project, students participate in a visual pitch session, sharing developing concepts and receiving peer feedback. Final designs are then submitted for anonymous peer voting, narrowing the field to a group of semifinalists. Those selected works are shared with the Rye YMCA, which sponsors the contest and convenes a panel of community judges to select the winning posters.  

Following the review process, the Rye YMCA selected three student designs as this year’s contest winners. Caroline Parks earned first prize, receiving a $75 gift card. Anna Scott was awarded second prize with a $50 gift card, and Manuela Fernandes received third prize and a $25 gift card. 

The initiative provides students with an authentic design experience while reinforcing civic responsibility and community engagement. By connecting classroom learning to a real-world audience, the project allows students to see how creative skills can be used to inform, educate, and make a meaningful impact beyond the school setting.