Photo: Hurley
Walk the Walk, Hurley's interactive fashion showWalk the Walk, a high school fashion competition that's best described as "Friday Night Football" meets "the Runway," is in the last phase of determining the finalists for this year's National Championship event at the U.S. Open of Surfing, the world's largest action sports event. With four schools having already survived a grueling three months of online video challenges, all eyes are now on the submissions in the wildcard round, pitting 26 schools against each other for the final spot. The five finalists will then create their own 5-minute fashion show and compete on the runway to win the grand prize of $25,000.

The 2010 Walk the Walk competition, supported by Hurley, as well as Converse and SkullCandy, has taken a spirited twist from years past. Hurley challenged 30 schools to commit to a series of three separate video challenges showcasing everything from "Make a Hurley Commercial" to "Show us What You're All About."

Photo: Hurley
Kids get spirited for Walk the Walk

"Since February, students have used social networks and viral marketing to promote their videos, resulting in thousands of people coming to Hurley's site to vote. We've seen principals send out mass emails and students secure TV news coverage and local newspaper headlines. These kids are already experts in grass-roots marketing," says Hurley's Walk the Walk Executive Producer Kristin Whalley.

When the text-message flurry settled, finalists from three separate regions prevailed: Huntington Beach High School (California), Pearl City (Hawaii) and Toms River East (New Jersey). Add in last year's Walk the Walk winner, Lincoln High School (San Diego), and you have four out of five schools slated for the National Championship on the beach at the U.S. Open of Surfing.

The backdrop of the world's largest action sports event will bring in tens of thousands of fans, celebrity judges and a $25,000 donation for the winning school. The U.S. Open of Surfing is hosted from July 31-August 8, with Walk the Walk taking the spotlight from the surf, skate and BMX action on Friday evening, August 6th.

Yet there is one final spot to determine. All submissions for the final wild card have been uploaded to www.hurley.com/wtw, and visitors can vote for their favorites now.

"Every year, I'm blown away at how these schools raise the level," says Hurley Founder and Chairman Bob Hurley. "Never underestimate the kids creativity."