Youth Called Upon to Tackle Opioid Crisis through Video Competition

The United States Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), DEA Educational Foundation and Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms, are launching the Operation Prevention Video Challenge that gives students the power to send a message to their peers about the dangers of opioid misuse.

The Operation Prevention Video Challenge invites youth across the country to create a unique 30-60 second public service announcement, aimed to reach other youth about this widespread issue. The question: “If your friends were going to watch ONE video that made them think twice about misusing prescription opioids, what would that video be?”

A panel of judges from Discovery Education and the DEA, as well as community leaders, educators, and communications experts, will select the winners for three DEA Educational Foundation scholarships. The grand prize winner will receive $10,000, the second place winner will receive $5,000, and the third place winner will receive $1,000.

One People’s Choice winner will also be selected through public vote in April 2017 and will win a trip provided by the DEA for an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour of DEA agent training at the DEA’s Training Academy in Quantico, Virginia. Winning PSAs will also be featured on-air and across DEA’s digital and social media platforms.

Students must be at least 13-years-old and enrolled in 9th through 12th grade. Video entries will be evaluated based on their creativity, content, persuasiveness and overall effective communication. No violent, dangerous, or illegal behavior in creating the Entry Video is allowed. Youth can register and submit their entries through March 28, 2017 at https://www.operationprevention.com/video-challenge.