Meet the Teens Behind This Hurricane Season's PSA: 'I've Got Us Covered'

Hurricane prep usually starts with water, batteries and other essentials. Spectrum asked Manatee County students to add another item to the list: a plan for staying connected.

"We're beyond excited," said Kendall Bacon, a junior at Parrish Community High School. "Winning is amazing on its own, but knowing our idea is actually going to become a real PSA that airs in our community makes it feel so much bigger."

Kendall and classmate Emily Schappert just won Spectrum's Hurricane Preparedness Challenge, part of the company's Invincible Communities NextGen Storm Team Initiative.

Their concept, "I've Got Us Covered," will now become a real 30-second public service announcement – produced with Spectrum's multimedia team and set to air across Manatee County during hurricane season.

A Real-World Pitch, With Real Stakes

Students across Manatee County were asked to create PSA concepts showing how connectivity helps families during a storm: receiving emergency alerts, following evacuation guidance, reaching loved ones and finding recovery information.

Along the way, they got a crash course in how a real ad campaign comes together – pitching a concept, making creative choices, and defending an idea in front of a judging panel that included representatives from the National Weather Service and Manatee County Government.

Thirteen submissions from eight schools were narrowed to five finalists, who presented their concepts at a Finalist Showcase & Judging event hosted at the Manatee Schools Television studio:

• Braden River High School: "Connected When It Matters Most"
• Manatee High School: "Before the Storm"
• Palm View K-8: "The Signal That Saves"
• Parrish Community High School: "I've Got Us Covered"
• Palmetto High School: "Who Are You Calling?"

Judges included Jennifer Hubbard, Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service Tampa Bay Area, along with representatives from Manatee County Government and local elected officials.

From Concept to Camera

Kendall and Emily, supported by their adviser Erin Lisch (who teaches TV Production/Digital Photography at Parrish Community High School), will now work directly with Spectrum's multimedia team on script and storyboard development, filming and editing.

"We can't wait to work with Spectrum's team and see 'I've Got Us Covered' come to life," Kendall said.

The finished PSA will air across Manatee County this hurricane season – a reminder, straight from the students themselves, that a connectivity plan belongs on every family's emergency checklist right alongside the water and batteries.