Connecting Change Video Competition

Youth Venture wants to know how the internet and broadband technology helps you in your efforts to change the world.

The internet is a powerful tool that has enabled us to connect with individuals from all across the world at rapid speed. We use the internet to share photos, watch videos, fundraise, connect with others and learn about the world. As the internet continues to grow in capacity and capability into all areas of our social, political, and economic lives, we must continue to facilitate educational opportunities to the demographic that consumes technology the most–youth. To this end, Youth Venture believes that our Venturers can best appreciate and learn the technological tools at their disposal through a competitive video contest that helps them think through the transformative power of broadband. What are you waiting for? Grab your camera and shoot a 60 second video telling us how the internet helps you to change the world! The Youth Venture Connecting Change Video Competition, supported by Verizon’s Voices of Broadband initiative, showcases young changemakers using technology and broadband to advance positive change. To enter, applicants must submit a video that answers the question: How has broadband and information technology helped your ability to change the world? Rules and Regulations: All entrants are expected to fully abide by the rules and regulations of the Youth Venture Connecting Change video competition listed below. Youth Venture reserves the right to disqualify any entrant that violates the rules and regulations below.

• Video entries must less than 2 minutes. Additionally, every contestant will be asked to begin their video with a 10 second introduction of him/herself, including their name, age and where they are from (city, state).
• The Connecting Change video competition is open to all members of a Youth Venture team and/or current participants in YV programs who are U.S. residents.
• Video entries must be in English.
• Entrants under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian sign a release form.
• Video entries must be appropriate for all ages and should not include any explicit references or offensive language.

Submit a Video:

• To submit a video, upload your video to YouTube and send an email to kmyers@youthventure.org with a link to your uploaded video
• Check out all the submitted videos on the Youth Venture Connecting Change YouTube Channel

Dates and Deadlines:

• Competition Opens for Submissions: November 19, 2009
• Competition Closes for Submissions: 5:00PM EST December 18, 2009
• Winners Announced: January 4, 2010

Prizes:

• New Blackberry Storm 2 or Blackberry Tour.
• Scholarship (registration, travel and lodging) for the contestant and a team member or adult chaperone to attend the 2010 Youth Venture Summit.
• Prominent placement of video on Voices of Broadband, Youth Venture and other websites, which will include a description of the winning contestant as well as his or her Venture.
• Extension of remarks from a United States Congressional Member.

Judging: The winner will be chosen by a panel of judges from Youth Venture and Verizon.

Judging Criteria:

• Reach through leveraging technologies (i.e., the more people reached the better)
• The originality or innovative-ness of the use of the internet & broadband
• Creativity and the originality of the entry.