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May 6, 2014 / Boston, MA – The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (LWVMA) today announced the three winners of its “Dear Future Governor…” Student Video Contest.
With a gubernatorial election scheduled for fall 2014, the League invited Massachusetts high school students to create two-minute videos illustrating a problem or issue in their communities that they hope the next Governor will address. The contest aimed to heighten civic awareness among high school students, provide them with an opportunity to speak out about the topics that are important to them, and possibly help shape the next Governor’s agenda. The winners will receive awards of $1,000 (first place); $500 (second place); and $250 (third place).
The winning videos were selected from a pool of entries submitted from across the state–from western Massachusetts to Martha’s Vineyard–that touched on a wide variety of topics, including the economy, gun control, crime, gangs, the environment, education, campaign finance reform, legalization of marijuana, immigration, minimum wage, bullying, potholes, veteran’s benefits, and alternative energy, to name just a few. The Judging Committee–composed of members of LWVMA, as well as members of the Governor’s Statewide Youth Council–selected the winning submissions based on their clear and compelling messages, memorable content and delivery, and creativity.
“We were floored by the quality of the videos we received and by the range of topics they addressed,” said LWVMA Executive Director Meryl Kessler. “We received so many excellent, thoughtful submissions that the Judging Committee had a difficult time choosing winners.”
“These videos show how deeply young people in Massachusetts care about finding solutions to issues of public policy” said Anne Borg, co-president of LWVMA. “We are proud not only of the winners, but of all the entrants.”
In addition to the individual prizes, Durfee High School in Fall River will receive a special prize of $250 for being the first high school to submit five or more videos. The contest was sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts Citizen Education Fund, which supports programs designed to encourage the active and informed participation of citizens in democracy and increase understanding of public policy issues. For more information, go to www.lwvma.org.