By Joanne M. Lisosky, Election Credibility Committee

As the school years ends, so will this year’s LWVWA Student Video Contest, which deadlines June 15. This contest was a pilot project hosted by the LWVWA Election Credibility Committee (ECC). The ECC works to combat the rise in election misinformation and mistrust of the election process by developing educational materials used by both the League and our voter education partners.

The ECC began its work on this project several years ago. The Student Video Contest was then given the go ahead to run the pilot project this year… one year before the general election. The project offers high school students the opportunity to create short videos that focus on the three pillars of the Committee’s work: Right to Vote & Voter Registration; Security of Ballots in Washington; and Washington’s Mail-in Ballot System. The best videos will be viewed on social media, various voting websites and perhaps even television. And the winning student producers will receive prize money.

The Committee received seven applications. “We were told not to expect too much the first year,” Linnea Hirst, ECC Committee Chair, said. “We only promoted this fully in three counties so we are pleased with the turnout.”

The judging of the student videos will take place over the summer with winners announced in September. Judges will be asked to review the videos for content and technical excellence. Judges include: Dee Anne Finken, co-chair of the League’s Local Journalism study; Derek Nunn, Tacoma-area film and video producer; and Christopher Schwalm, Youth Media Producer for PBS NewsHour. A special guest judge is being recruited, but that’s a secret for now.

We will announce the winners in September—stay tuned!