SPRINGFIELD –– Secretary of State Jesse White recently won top awards for public awareness campaigns that focus on organ donation and school bus safety.
White's programs were recognized during the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA) Region III Conference in Springfield. Both honors were Public Affairs and Consumer Education (PACE) awards for top marketing campaigns.
"I'm honored that our efforts in Illinois have been recognized with these awards," said White. "The real winners are the people who benefit from these important programs."
White's organ donor commercial "Brianne" received the top award for marketing campaigns. The commercial features the story of 10-year-old Brianne Bacon, who lost her life to a brain tumor. Her family chose to donate her organs, which saved four adult lives.
"Illinois has the largest organ and tissue donor registry in the nation, due in large part to the state's commitment to public awareness and education," said White. "I'm pleased our commercial this year has received such high praise."
White also received top honors for his Toby Tire School Bus safety campaign. The program features a robot tire that visits schools to teach kindergarten through third-grade students safety tips for riding the school bus.
"Throughout my adult life I have made the health and welfare of children my work," said White, who is famous for his work with the Jesse White Tumbling Team. "The Toby Tire School Bus Safety program is designed to minimize the danger of school bus travel by driving home the message of alertness, preparedness and responsibility in a way that is interesting and fun for the students."
