Contest challenges students to produce short films about environmental awareness
What does green mean to you?
Energy Works Michigan wants to know— in 90 seconds or less. The company is
sponsoring the “Show Green” video competition, in which students are invited to
create a film showing what “going green” means to them, and what projects they,
their school or their community are working on to make the world a better
Project associate Kelly
Weger said that Energy Works Michigan has encountered many young people and
schools working towards the same initiative as they are: to go green and
improve the environment.
“We’re working with schools
across the state with a state grant, helping schools get energy efficiency and
renewable energy installations,” she said. “We’ve been working on that for
almost a year, and as that project has been developing we’ve been visiting
schools and learning a lot about what various schools are doing across the
state. It’s been really amazing to learn about projects that individual schools
are putting on that are mostly unpublicized.”
Projects like installing
solar panels, starting recycling programs at schools, growing local food or
buying local — these are all things Weger has seen from students in Michigan,
and she’s hoping that this video contest will help spread the word and bring
awareness to what they’re doing. “We thought it would be great to present a
platform for schools to share with other schools what they are doing that perhaps
nobody else has heard about,” she said.
Energy Works Michigan is an
Ann Arbor-based non-profit working to support energy efficiency and renewable
energy industries. Part of their work includes the Michigan Renewable Schools
Program, a project bringing energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements
to K-12 schools throughout Michigan. The students they are teaching about going
green already know a thing or two of their own about being environmentally
responsible, and that’s what they’re looking to see in the films.
“Submissions will be judged
on their concept, creativity, innovative thinking, and passion about the environmental
challenges facing us,” Weger said.
Students under the age of 19
can enter the contest. There will be two categories, under 12 and 12-19 years
old. The videos could be public service announcements, documentaries,
interviews, poetry, live action, animation, puppets, photography, or
claymation. Entries can be submitted online at ShowGreenTV.org and are due on