
DATE: Tuesday, August 19, 1997              TAG: 9708190289

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY REBECCA MYERS CUTCHINS, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH                        LENGTH:   93 lines

STUDENTS TRY SIGN LANGUAGE TO MAKE A POINT

Six-year-old Marquis Sampson stood out in the hot sun watching workers glue up the 10 panels of a new billboard on Turnpike Road.

Slowly the towering artwork took familiar form.

First a hand; then the hand holding a cup partially filled with money.

Then the message:

``Invest in Your Future With A Good Education.''

But it was the artist's name - in white letters against a black background - that the child was most interested in seeing displayed.

``He's a star,'' Marquis said as he looked at his 15-year-old brother's name hover over the street for all to see.

Buddy Sampson, a rising junior at Churchland High School, couldn't be there, because of football practice, to see his billboard go up. But his parents brought Marquis and an uncle, along with a camcorder and a camera.

Sampson's artwork was one of 11 designs by Portsmouth middle and high school students selected to appear on billboards throughout the city.

The billboards are part of a media blitz by Portsmouth students to send positive messages to their peers about making good choices.

The campaign, which includes student-generated radio and television public service announcements, news releases and a theater production, is funded by a $13,738 grant to the city from the state Department of Criminal Justice Services.

The first eight billboards went up Monday and will remain in place for about two months, said Raz Collier of Collier & Associates, which does media placement for the city.

Three additional billboards will go up in the next few weeks. Adams Outdoor Advertising donated the billboard space, worth close to $11,000.

In an art contest held last spring to determine what would go on the billboards, students were asked to illustrate one of the many risk factors children face today.

They covered issues ranging from adolescent pregnancy and high dropout rates to homelessness and crime.

``The money that was awarded is for communications purposes, to try and get kids to share their messages about the importance of making good choices,'' said Carol Pratt, manager of the city's government access channel.

Pratt helped the city apply for the grant.

``We tried to make sure that the subject matter was relevant and that it was easily discernible,'' said Diana Davenport, the school system's art liaison.

Davenport said the students were asked to consider, ``What is the message? Can I drive down the highway and grasp the message in an instant?''

With the help of three student judges, Davenport selected the top 17 of about 100 entries. Adams Outdoor Advertising then chose the 11 that would appear on the signs.

Jerry McCoy, a student at I.C. Norcom High School, promoted positive peer pressure in his artwork at 2019 County St. His billboard shows the back of a graduate - donning a black cap and gown with a gold tassel and sash - standing at a podium with a diploma in his hand.

A billboard in the 3600 block of Victory Blvd., by New Directions student Antonio Nolan, proclaims ``Give Youth A Chance.'' In it, Nolan shows a man in handcuffs with the words ``Stop the Violence'' underneath. Next to the man in handcuffs are two hands locked in a handshake.

Jamie Bagby, 14, an eighth-grader at Waters Middle School, chose to illustrate crime in his billboard at 3011 Victory Blvd. In it, he shows a hand flipping hamburgers on a hot grill with the caption: ``Serving Burgers Is Better Than Serving Time.''

``He used to always take my aluminum foil when he was younger and make little animals,'' said Jamie's grandmother, Hazel Hall. ``I used to fuss at him and say, `Would you please leave my aluminum foil alone!'

``But now we're so proud of him.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo

TING-LI WANG/The Virginian-Pilot

Danny Smith of Adams Outdoor Advertising puts the final touches to

Buddy Sampson's billboard on Turnpike Road in Portsmouth. Sampson is

one of 11 city students to design messages for their peers.

Graphic

SEE THE BILLBOARDS

Keith Spruill of Churchland High, ``Success TV,'' 1601 High St.

Billy Jordan of Wilson High, ``Crime Pays: 20 To Life,'' 3229

Frederick Blvd.

Antonio Nolan of New Directions, ``Give Youth a Chance,'' 3605

Victory Blvd.