For the 21st year, C-SPAN is hosting its annual StudentCam national video documentary competition. This opportunity engages middle and high school students nationwide to explore and think critically about topics that are important to them and that will affect their futures by creating short documentaries.
As part of this year’s theme, C-SPAN is looking for students to delve into the heart of the issues they want to see the new presidential administration address using the prompt: “Your Message to the President: What issue is most important to you or your community?”
The deadline for video submissions is Inauguration Day on Monday, January 20, 2025. Competition Guidelines:
- This competition is open to all students in grades 6-12. Studnets in grades 6-8 compete in the middle school category, and students in grades 9-12 compete in the high school category.
- Students may compete individually or in teams of two or three members.
- Documentaries must include clips of supporting or opposing C-SPAN videothat relates to the chosen topic.
- Winning StudentCam documentaries will thoroughly explore a variety of viewpoints related to the chosen topic, including those that may oppose the filmmaker’s points of view. It is recommended that students interview experts on the chosen subject, including elected officials.
- Documentaries must be between 5-6 minutes in length. (End credits, if applicable, must begin after the 5-minute mark but are permitted to run longer than the allotted 6-minute timeframe.)
- Entries must include either end credits or a works cited list. Students can use whichever format they currently use to cite their sources.
- Videos are due on January 20.
Next spring, the C-SPAN Education Foundation will award 150 student and 53 teacher prizes, totaling $100,000—including a top prize of $5,000.
@For more information about the competition, including the entry form and video upload, please visit www.studentcam.org.
