The Everyone Has Rights Public Service Announcement con-test for grades K–5 and the Speak Truth To Power video contest for middle and high school students are now open.
Building on the Speak Truth To Power video contest, the Everyone Has Rights contest asks students to select one of the rights identified in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, such as the right to education or to freedom of peaceful assembly, and create a 60- to 90-second public service announcement (PSA) that creatively discusses the right and its importance.
Students may work individually, in small groups, or as an entire class to complete the PSAs. The contest is open to documentary, stop motion, narrative, digital photo essay or other innovative genres.
Videos must be submitted digitally by April 1, 2016, to www.everyonehasrights.com/. Twenty outstanding videos will be recognized, with each winning classroom receiving $100 in supplies and $75 toward a classroom celebration. The contest is sponsored by NYSUT and the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights.
The Speak Truth To Power video contest is offered to students nationally through a partnership with RFK Human Rights, AFT, Tribeca Film Institute and NYSUT.
Open to students in grades 6–12, the contest asks students to look at the life of a human rights defender and make a three- to five-minute video on how the defender made a difference and how we all can make a difference in our own communities.
Videos for the Speak Truth To Power contest must be submitted by Feb. 21, 2016, at www.speaktruthvideo.com. "We have seen how these videos can educate young students about human rights and the importance of ensuring that those rights are protected," said NYSUT Vice President Paul Pecorale.