The polls are open at vw.com!  Volkswagen of America, Inc., and Scholastic, Inc. announced today that online voting for its student-produced public service announcements (PSAs) will be open January 13-January 23 at www.vw.com.  Online voters will select the winning PSA in the fourth annual Fasten Your Seat Belt…Go Far! program.

Volkswagen and Scholastic’s award-winning Fasten Your Seat Belt…Go Far! program challenges high school students to create their own public service announcements encouraging their peers to buckle up.  This year, students submitted videos featuring a wide variety of creative storylines and styles with a singular message: “Buckling up is cool.”

This year’s finalists include the team of Rick Peters, Kevin Crombie, and John Cirone from Des Plaines, Ill., and Jennifer Pellerito from Bloomfield Hills, Mich. The student team submitted a video entitled “It’s Only One Extra Step,” showing that a driver does so much to get ready to drive, from adjusting the mirrors to tuning the radio, and buckling one’s seatbelt is only one extra step. Pellerito’s video, “Forgetting is Fatal,” demonstrates that it is easy to forget the little things like books, pencils, and cell phones, but if we forget to buckle up, the consequences can be fatal.

A grand prize winner will win a $12,000 U.S. Savings Bond and the runner-up will receive a $6,000 U.S. Savings Bond. The teacher of the grand prize winner will receive a $1,000 Scholastic gift certificate and a digital video camera and the teacher of the runner-up will receive a $500 Scholastic gift certificate and a digital video camera.

Additionally, the winning PSA will be aired on Teen Kids News on January 27. (check local listings).

About Scholastic

Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books and a leader in educational technology.  Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, film, videos and toys.  The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs, school-based book fairs, and school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries and television networks; and the Company's Internet site, www.scholastic.com.

About Volkswagen

Founded in 1955, Volkswagen of America, Inc. is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan.  It is a subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, headquartered in Wolfsburg, Germany.  Volkswagen is one of the world’s largest producers of passenger cars and Europe’s largest automaker. Volkswagen sells the Rabbit, New Beetle, New Beetle convertible, GTI, Jetta, GLI, Passat, Passat wagon, Eos, and Touareg through approximately 600 independent U.S. dealers.  Visit Volkswagen of America online at vw.com.