— ‘Operation Prevention Video Challenge’ Encourages Teens to Submit Video Public Service Announcements to Educate their Peers on the State of the Opioid Epidemic —
Press Release – Silver Spring, Maryland (Friday, December 1, 2017) – The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the DEA Educational Foundation, and Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, announced today the second launch of the Operation Prevention Video Challenge – a peer-to-peer platform for communicating messages about the dangers of opioid misuse.
An extension of Discovery Education and the DEA’s Operation Prevention program, the video challenge will encourage teens to create a 30-60 second original public service announcement (PSA) that warns other students about the dangers of prescription opioid misuse and heroin use. The Operation Prevention Video Challenge aims to inspire teens to research the opioid epidemic, identify its widespread impact on the country and the substances’ harmful effects on the body, and start a social movement that encourages authentic dialogue about this critical issue.
Prizes for winning submissions include:
- 1st place: $10,000;
- 2nd place: $5,000;
- 3rd place: $1,000; and
- People’s Choice: A VIP trip to Quantico, Virginia for a tour of DEA training.
The top 10 finalist videos will also be uploaded to operationprevention.com for a public vote to determine the People’s Choice winner, and the winning PSAs will be featured on Discovery Education’s digital and social media platforms.
“Following the success of the first annual Operation Prevention Video Challenge, DEA looks forward to once again engaging youth in this creative opportunity to communicate anti-opioid messages,” said Sean Fearns, chief of community outreach, DEA. “This kind of peer-to-peer education has the unique ability to better resonate with teens, discouraging prescription drug abuse before it starts.”
Last year’s winning PSA, titled The Cork Board by Kyle C., Clay K. and Carter S. of Madison, Conn. was one of the hundreds of original submissions the challenge received. To view entries from finalists and winners of the previous Operation Prevention Video Challenges, visit operationprevention.com/competition/video/archives/2017.
“My colleagues and I have been eagerly anticipating the return of the Operation Prevention Video Challenge for our students,” said Rob Lamb, High School Teacher, Pattonville High School, Pattonville School District, St. Louis, Mo. “The friendly competition allows teens to step outside of the day-to-day classroom structure and work together to use their creative perspectives for good.”
The Operation Prevention Video Challenge is launched at a time where prescription opioid misuse and heroin use have reached epidemic levels in the United States. Operation Prevention aims to change that. The nationwide program educates students about the science behind addiction, and its impact on the brain and body. Standards-aligned Operation Prevention interactive resources, available at no cost, help promote lifesaving discussions in the home and classroom.
Discovery Education is proud to support the DEA in sparking a social movement that empowers students nationwide to combat the opioid epidemic,” said Lori McFarling, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Discovery Education. “We believe in the power of young people to impact the decision-making of their peers and look forward to spotlighting their voices in the 2018 Operation Prevention Video Challenge.”
“We have seen firsthand the positive impact this program has had in our communities across the country,” said Kevin Hartmann, president, DEA Educational Foundation. “This contest gives students a chance to be a part of the solution in this nationwide epidemic. Their PSAs will help save lives.”
The Operation Prevention Video Challenge opens today and will close on March 20, 2018 at 8:00 p.m. United States high school students, ages 13 and older, can register and find more information about the challenge at operationprevention.com.
