Keene class wins NH video tourism contest

KEENE, N.H. (AP) — A fourth-grade class that substituted a "Magic Segway" for the "Magic School Bus" took the top prize Wednesday in a video contest sponsored by the state Division of Travel and Tourism.

Debbie Sawyer's class at Wheelock Elementary School was awarded the grand prize Wednesday in the division's "Class Act" contest, which challenges students to create one-minute videos designed to attract visitors to the state. The winners will receive a field trip to Mount Washington, including a ride on the Cog Railway.

The winning video puts a New Hampshire twist on the "Magic School Bus" book series, inviting viewers to tour each of the state's 10 counties on a Segway, the self-balancing scooter that was invented in New Hampshire. The books, written by Joanna Cole, feature a teacher named Ms. Frizzle who uses a magic bus to take her students on journeys to explore science. The tourism video refers to "Ms. Hampshirzzle" taking students on a field trip around New Hampshire, from boating on Lake Winnipesaukee to tax-free shopping in Manchester.

Students at Shaker Road School in Concord came in second place, winning a live demonstration by Valley Snow Dogz, a dog sled tour company in Waterville Valley. Honorable mention went to Lafayette Regional School in Franconia, where students will enjoy a pizza party for their efforts.

Twenty classes from 18 schools participated in the contest.

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Online: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IO4e6VGOwo4