The videos on this Web site were produced by the department’s multi-media team under the direction of Carl Pagano, with the assistance of Scott Tensel, Juan Medina and Bill Rodriguez. The team has won a string of prestigious awards for their real-life treatment of subjects such as gangs and youth violence, sexual abuse, gay youth, and cyberbullying. Over the past two years, the team has been nationally and internationally recognized for its stellar work, winning a combined total of 19 Telly and Aurora Awards.
County Executive Andy Spano said, “Everything that this group touches seems to turn to gold — or in this case gold and platinum. I am so proud of their achievement. It is particularly impressive when you look at the list of other honorees — Disney, the U.S. Marine Corps, the Philadelphia Zoo, just to name a few.”
In 2006, the multi-media team won four Telly Awards and 8 Aurora Awards.
Founded in 1978, the Telly Award is the premiere award honoring outstanding local regional and cable TV commercials and programs as well as the finest video and film production.
The Aurora Awards is a international competition designed to recognize excellence in the film and video industries. Entries have come from across the US, and abroad. such as Canada, Hong Kong, Denmark, Mexico, etc.
2006 Telly Awards
- A Silver award for Gangs, a look youth violence in Westchester.
- A Bronze award for Trailblazers, African-American heroes.
- A Bronze award for Prom List, a public service announcement on prom night safety.
- A Bronze award for The Rising, a video on the making of the county’s 9-11 Memorial,.
2006 Aurora Awards
- A Platinum Best of Show award (top award) for Gangs, a look at the spread of youth violence in Westchester.
- A Platinum Best of Show award (top award) for It’s Like This - Teen Pregnancy, a health education show.
- A Gold award for Airport Noise Abatement, a look at what Westchester is doing to reduce noise at its airport.
- A Gold award for Westchester County Parks a video tour of Westchester County’s premiere parks sites.
- A Gold award for The Rising, a video on the making of the county’s 9-11 Memorial.
- A Gold award for Wetlands Restoration, a video documenting how the county has restore its wetlands by replanting native plants.
2005 Telly Awards
- Cyberbullying, a look at how teens are using the Internet to harass and bully other teens, won a Bronze award.
2006 Aurora Awards
- Platinum Best of Show (the top award) for a commercial on Playland,titled Just Like I Remember (category Entertainment/Amusement)
- Platinum Best of Show for a PSA dealing with protecting children from child abuse, titled “Inoculate Your Child” (category Public Service-Non-Profit Sponsor
- Gold Award (the second-highest award) for a video on economic development in Westchester, titled Westchester is Good for Business (category Economic Development)
- Gold Award for a video on Playland, titled Playland 75th Anniversary (category Special Events/Anniversaries)
- Gold Award for a video dealing with the issues of using the Internet to bully, titled Cyberbullying (category Issue Awareness)
- Gold Award for a half-hour video distributed to schools dealing with issues affecting gay teens, titled It’s Like this: Gay Youth (category Issue Awareness)
- Gold Award for a commercial co-sponsored by Volvo of Westchester to encourage seat-belt use by teens, titled Buckle Up (category Public Service-Corporate Sponsor)
- Gold Aware for PSA to encourage people to become volunteers, titled Volunteer (category Public Service-Corporate Sponsor)
See these award winning videos and others on Westchester TV — It’s ready when you are.