UC medical assisting student group, led by advisor Dee Kinney (back row), won the Judge’s Best Overall Award for its mocktail “Morticia’s Brew” at the 9th Annual Clermont County Mocktails Contest held Oct. 29 at UC East. The prize was awarded for the drink’s taste and the safety message the group featured in its table display.
Students and visitors sampled non-alcoholic drinks Oct. 29 during Clermont County’s 9th Annual Mocktails Contest at University of Cincinnati Clermont East.

The contest, hosted by Ohio State University Extension Clermont County and UC East, is an event to raise awareness of responsible choices. Local organizations and student groups participated in the contest by creating non-alcoholic mocktails with a Halloween or fall theme.

“Our goal is to promote safety in the community, especially as we go into the holiday season,” said Kelly Royalty, Clermont Extension’s 4-H Youth Development Educator.

Each group was required to incorporate a safety message into their booth display, and the event included a presentation from Skip Phelps, a father whose daughter was in a fatal car accident.

Groups and organizations who participated in the Mocktails Contest included Clermont Recovery Center, Clermont YMCA, OSU Clermont Extension and UC groups including surgical technology, medical assisting and nursing students.

Three awards were given out after votes were counted for the Mocktails Contest. Judges included Williamsburg Mayor Mary Ann Lefker and UC East staff.

The People’s Choice Award went to Pulse CON/UC nursing sophomore group for their “Wicked Good Witch’s Brew.” The Judge’s Best Drink went to the UC student group Chapple for “Apple Pie,” and the Judge’s Best Overall Award, for taste and for its display’s safety message, was “Morticia’s Brew” created by the UC East medical assisting students.

For more information about Clermont traffic safety events, including the annual Teen Driving Summit, please call the Clermont Extension Office at 513-732-7070.

OSUE Clermont County is a non-formal education branch of OSU. The office merges needs of local citizens with OSU’s research through four focus areas: Family & Consumer Sciences, 4-H Youth Development, Agriculture & Natural Resources and Community Development.