The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is holding a contest, calling for the submission of videos made by teens for teens that promote a drug-free lifestyle. The winning videos will be shown in schools as part of the new RCMP Canadian Champions youth engagement initiative.
The prizes for the winning videos are Canadian Olympic hockey jerseys signed by Sidney Crosby, Toronto Blue Jays T-shirts signed by Brett Lawrie and Adam Loewen, and iPod Touch’s.
The contest is open to anyone in Grades 7 to 12 across Canada. Videos must be between 30 and 60 seconds in length and can be in English or French. Videos could address the benefits of being drug free; the successes and accomplishments achieved as a result of being drug free; tips on dealing with peer pressure; or what inspires you to stay drug free.
“This is a way young people could have a real impact – a positive impact – on their peers and have a lot of fun doing it,” says Sgt. Keith MacKinnon, of the RCMP Drugs and Organized Crime Awareness Service (DOCAS) in Nova Scotia where the Canadian Champions program was initiated. “The winners will get bragging rights and we will post a link to their video on the RCMP website.”
The contest is part of the Canadian Champions program, which offers youth a variety of information and tools to make informed choices and become ambassadors of a drug-free lifestyle. A central component of the program are a 26-minute English video and a 25-minute French video that feature 19 well-known Canadian athletes and celebrities speaking about the importance of being drug free including NHL’er Sidney Crosby, World Champion diver Alexandre Despatie, Hockey Night in Canada commentator Don Cherry, singer Mitsou Gélinas and Toronto Blue Jay Brett Lawrie.
There is also an online teaching guide to assist educators in discussing the issues raised by the video and engaging with youth about drugs. The goal is to send a powerful message to help youth rise above peer pressure and become champions of their own lives as well as in the lives of others in their schools and communities.
The video contest closes April 28, 2013. Full contest rules and submission information available here. For more information on the Canadian Champions initiative or to view the celebrity video, click here.
