Reel Teens is sponsoring a unique way for teens who are making films and videos to impact their fellow teens in a major way. In the process you could win a $2,000 scholarship!
There is a pressing need for the development of innovative strategies to enhance awareness, educate, and encourage open discussion about sensitive issues among high school students. At the Reel Teens USA Festivals we have seen teenage filmmakers dealing with sensitive and socially important issues in a mature, intelligent, and artistic way. We are trying to take this to the next level.
Three college scholarships will be awarded in the amounts of $2,000, $1,000, and $500 for the three best films or videos about statutory rape. Specifically sexual misconduct by an authority figure (an acquaintance, parent, guardian, older brother or sister, relative, teacher, clergy, police, etc.) toward a minor, and the sexual exploitation of an underage person.
Making these videos is an opportunity for teens to reach out to other teens on their own terms, and help each other. The winning videos will be shown and discussed in high schools, first in New York and then across America.
Two years after statutory rape education was introduced into high schools in Harris County, Texas (Houston) the teen pregnancy rate dropped 20%. Imagine the positive effect the videos made for this competition could have on the statistics.
Nearly 4 in 10 teen girls become pregnant, leading to one million teen pregnancies each year. One facet of the origin of the teen pregnancy epidemic is statutory rape. Despite an overall and significant reduction of crime in New York State for example, statutory rape crimes have remained relatively unchanged. Maybe we can help change that!
The film or video should be no more then 40 minutes in length. It could be fiction, nonfiction, animation, or even a PSA. A panel of judges will award prizes to the 3 best videos produced. There is no entry fee for this competition. All videos must be made by teenagers. All entries should be submitted on 1/2 inch VHS, SVHS (SP mode only), or DVD format. Entries must be received by December 31, 2004 in order to be eligible for prizes. An application, (see our web site www.reelteensusa.org) should accompany each video submitted and be mailed to Reel Teens, P.O. Box 1246, Woodstock, NY 12498. For more information go to our web site, call us at 845-246-1598, or e-mail us at reelteens@attglobal.net
Reel Teens is proud to sponsor this competition in association with New York Prosecutors Training Institute (NYPTI). The program is funded by New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA).