Youth Media Contest

Empower Your Students with the

Courageous Rhode Island Youth Media Contest

 

Are you ready to ignite the creative spark in your students and empower them to be courageous citizens? The CRI Youth Media Contest is here to help you do just that!

 

What is the CRI Youth Media Contest?

CRI’s Youth Media Contest recognizes and rewards student creativity. We award a total of 16 prizes, with a generous $1,000 grand prize. It's an opportunity for your students to showcase their talents and be recognized for their outstanding work.

 

Who Can Participate?

We invite middle school, high school, and college students from across Rhode Island to participate. But that's not all! Students from all around the U.S. and the world are also welcome to join in the fun. Whether your students are working on an in-class assignment, participating in an after-school program, or pursuing independent projects, CRI Youth Media Contest is open to all.

 

Themes That Inspire

The heart of the Youth Media Contest revolves around Courageous Rhode Island’s mission to:

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• Foster community conversations 

• Counter disinformation

• Enhance civic participation

• Improve media literacy 

• Prevent the hate that leads to violence

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Creative projects submitted to the contest will address one or more of these themes, focusing on the power of media literacy and active listening in promoting intellectual curiosity and respect for diversity. The contest will give students the opportunity to express themselves creatively and contribute to the conversation on how to improve our communities and prevent violent extremism.

 

Accepted Submission Formats

Students have the freedom to choose from a variety of media formats, including:

 

• Vertical videos (information, entertainment, or persuasion)

• Images (photographs, memes, digital posters, and more)

• Audio media (original music, spoken word, podcasts)

• Writing (news stories, op-eds, poetry, short stories)

 

Mark Your Calendar

The contest officially opens on January 15, 2024, and submissions must be received by May 15, 2024. Make sure your students have plenty of time to craft their masterpieces!

 

Awards & Prizes

CRIMC is judged by a panel of 10 community leaders, educators, and media professionals from Rhode Island. They'll be awarding a total of $7,000 in prizes, with the top honor being a $1,000 cash prize. Plus, students (and their dedicated teachers) will be recognized at a culminating in-person ceremony in spring 2024. There's also an audience award determined by online votes.

 

Rules & Terms

We've made it simple to participate. Submissions should include:

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• Student creators' names and institutional affiliations

• Teacher or program leader's name and affiliation (if applicable)

• Email addresses

• A 300 word artist statement explaining how the work aligns with CRIMC themes and the creative intentions behind it.

• A list of any copyrighted material used

• Permission forms for submissions featuring children under 18 (if applicable)

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Submission Guidelines

• Video and audio submissions must be under 4 minutes.

• Written submissions should not exceed 1,000 words.

 

Copyright and Permissions

We encourage creativity while respecting copyright. Students can use copyrighted material for educational, creative, or informational purposes. Just ensure that a list of copyrighted materials is included in the application.

 

If projects include photos/video of children under the age of 18, students are required to provide parental permission forms for each child. 

 

Ready to empower your students to tell their stories and make a difference through media? Be a part of the CRI Youth Media Contest, where courage meets creativity!