Beat Kellam! Grossmont Poised for Finals of Viral Video Contest

Grossmont High School is edging closer to a possible $25,000 prize in the Walk the Walk video competition—standing in third place in a Costa Mesa-based beach fashion company’s national contest.

According to the contest website by Hurley International, “The top 3 ranked schools at the end of the first three video competitions and one Wildcard winner will compete at the 2011 WTW National Championship August 2-5, 2011.”

As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, Grossmont had 138 overall points, trailing only Toms River East High School of New Jersey (154) and Kellam High School of Virginia Beach, VA (145).

Jeremy Hersch, a Grossmont social studies teacher and Associated Student Body adviser, said: “Voting for Round 3 is live!  If you click the leaderboard link at some point, we will see where we stand!”

In promoting the contest, student ASB President Darion Johnston wrote last week:

“The winning school could receive up to $30,000, which would all go to the students. The national championship will be at the U.S. Open in Huntington Beach this summer, where the top four schools get to perform in front of thousands. …You do not need to be a student to vote; all you need is an email address. We need people to go to Hurley.com/wtw, make an account (or log into an account previously created) and vote.”

A 2-minute, 15-second video by Grossmont High School students ends with senior Tanner Harvey in blue Hurley boardshorts saying: “Grossmont really loves Hurley. Don’t believe it?” as the video cuts away to a scene of hundreds of students yelling: “We love Hurley,”  shot from a campus rooftop.

Scenes in the video also were shot at Sun Diego Boardshops at Westfield Parkway Shopping Center in El Cajon.

Posted alongside the video was the entry’s answer to the question (with some editing): Why you think your school will win WTW:

Grossmont just celebrated its 90th birthday this year. Our school has a tradition for producing outstanding graduates who have gone on to very successful endeavors. Our school population is diverse, but we all have a common bond...a love for GROSSMONT.

We do everything to the extreme as that is the Foothiller way! We have a unique student culture that combines academics & athletics with the ocean (a quick 20-minute drive), and the snow (a short 2-hour journey). We start each day at Grossmont with the quote “It is a great day to be young and a Foothiller!” We are honored to be a part of WTW, and can not wait to show our spirit in Huntington Beach this year!