SARANAC LAKE — AdkAction is accepting submissions for a COVID-19 Public Service Announcement (PSA) Contest focusing on the theme “Spread the Word, Not the Virus.”

All New York state middle and high school students are eligible to enter. The winner will receive a $1,000 prize from contest sponsor AdkAction and have the PSA showcased on television and at the Beyond the Peaks Student Film Festival on June 4, 2021. Each PSA should be 30 to 45 seconds in length, include the slogan “Spread the Word, Not the Virus,” contain logos as specified in the instructions, and address a wide range of audiences. The deadline for submissions is midnight on Friday, Jan. 15, 2021. Participation is free of charge.

“Our Beyond the Peaks Student Film Festival has been a great venue for engaging young people and offering them a platform to have their voices heard,” said Brittany Christenson, Executive Director of AdkAction. “We want to see what students in the Adirondacks and across New York state have to say about preventing the spread of the virus. COVID fatigue is real, and we all need to be reminded of the critical importance of following public health advice.”

“Students are going through a lot right now, and we hope that this contest will empower them to focus some of their energy on positive messages that can help keep our schools and communities safer,” noted Wendy Cross, Tupper Lake Central School District art teacher and co-organizer of Beyond the Peaks Student Film Festival.

Students will upload video submissions online through Launchpad, a digital film contest platform donated by Skills21 at EdAdvance, an educational nonprofit based in Connecticut. Submissions will be judged by teachers, nonprofit leaders, and health department staff and based on a scoring rubric.

Judges will be looking for PSAs that show considerable originality and inventiveness, with compelling messaging that evokes emotion.

Interested students are welcome to participate on their own or as part of an assignment. Teachers are welcome to reach out for more information. For complete contest guidelines and to enter, visit adkaction.org/psa.