WCTE-TV/PBS has invited high school and G.E.D. students and their teachers throughout the Upper Cumberland to create a one-minute Public Service Announcement in WCTE’s American Graduate Student Video Contest. The message of the student PSA’s is simple – stay in school.
The contest is based on an initiative funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) in partnership with America’s Promise Alliance and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Called “American Graduate: Let’s Make It Happen,” the initiative is designed to help local communities across the country address the high school dropout crisis.
WCTE is producing a documentary that addresses the high school dropout crisis in Tennessee called “American Graduate: the Tennessee Story. As part of the PBS station’s effort to engage the students of the Upper Cumberland, and to drive home the message of “stay in school,” WCTE decided to hold a student video contest.
“If only one student’s life is changed for the better by our efforts, if only one student sees the light and stays in school, it will all have been worthwhile,” said Becky Magura, President and CEO of WCTE.
The WCTE American Graduate Student Video Contest is restricted to students in high school and G.E.D. programs in the 14 counties of the Upper Cumberland and student teams must have a teacher sponsor who will oversee the project. Student PSAs will be screened and if selected, uploaded to WCTE’s YouTube Channel. The winning entries, determined by a panel of judges, will be featured in WCTE’s Close-Up Magazine, the WCTE website and possibly on-air. There are also cash prizes.
Teacher sponsors must submit their intent to participate to hharder@wcte.org by Monday, February 20, and all videos must be submitted by flash drive to the station by March 19, 2012. Winners will be notified at the end of March.
For details of the contest, please visit wcte.org/graduate.
