SAN DIEGO – Broadway/San Diego is encouraging all San Diego County students in grades 5 through Grade 12 to enter the 2017 Wellness Through the Arts Student Essay/Video Contest (WTA), sponsored by San Diego County Credit Union and produced by Broadway San Diego. Deadline for entries is Tuesday, Feb. 28.
The Top 5 individual submissions will each win $500. The Top School Group Video Project will win $1,000 for their school program. Winning submissions may be incorporated into a live musical production on stage at the Ben Vereen Awards Sunday, May 28, at the Balboa Theatre!
“We are pleased to now include more grade levels into this year’s competition,” said stage and screen legend Ben Vereen, “I’ve seen what raw talent and incredible young minds we have in our community and I look forward to seeing even more of these stories unfold at the competition in May”.
Who is Eligible to Participate?
- Category 1: Individual Essay Projects: All currently enrolled San Diego County students, Grade 5 through Grade 12 are eligible to enter. Please submit either a written essay (maximum 2 pages); or a video essay using your Smartphone or digital video camera (maximum 2 minutes). The Top 5 Winning Essays will win $500 each!
- Category 2: School Group Video Projects: These collaborative group projects should be inspired by the key topics of obesity, diabetes, low self-esteem, bullying, economic problems, family problems, or other social issues. They must be sponsored by a teacher at the submitting school. The sponsoring teacher should serve as advisor, director, or producer as needed on the project, but students are encouraged to take creative control. You are encouraged to incorporate Music, Dance, Theatre and artisic Video Editing into your project. Please submit your entry as a YouTube video link (maximum 5 minutes). The Top 1 School Group Video Project will win $1,000 for your program!
Essay Topic Guidelines:
- First tell us about the greatest challenge in your life. Is it obesity, diabetes, low self-esteem or other health and wellness issues? Or is it bullying, economic problems, family problems, or other social issues?
- Then tell us how you have risen above these troubles and improved your life with your favorite activity or hobby. Is it the performing arts, sports, scouts, 4-H, a volunteer organization, or a faith based institution? Everyone’s story will be different and unique. You can help others by sharing your story!
Teachers are asked to encourage their students to submit their individual essays/videos. It will not take them long to write a two-page essay or create a 2-minute video. How about using the essay contest as an in-class assignment or even leading in the creation of a 5-minute Collaborative School Group Video Project? Let the voices of your students be heard!
The Ben Vereen Awards is a San Diego high school musical theatre competition in which twenty nominated San Diego County High School Students will compete for Best Actor and Best Actress and the top two winners will be sent for an all-expenses-paid trip to The National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York this June. More information is available atBenVereenAwards.com
