Press Release: 2021-05-13

The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (LWVMA) announces the winners of its "Democracy Challenge" Student Video Contest



















































FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: May 12, 2021 / Boston, MA 



Contact: Patricia Comfort, Executive Director



pcomfort@lwvma.org



857-452-1715



 



The League of Women Voters of Massachusetts (LWVMA) announces the winners of its "Democracy Challenge" Student Video Contest:



The winners are:



First Place:  "Democracy Will Persist" by Caitlin Duffy, The Academy at Penguin Hall



Second Place: “United is Power” by Maya Baudrand, Stoneleigh Burnham School



Third Place:  “Stand Up” by Julia Valanzola, The Academy at Penguin Hall



In addition to the individual winners, LWVMA recognizes Wellesley High School with its Catalyst Award for their extraordinary participation—25 video submissions—in the contest. View a playlist of their videos here.



LWVMA invited Massachusetts high school students to create 30-second videos demonstrating what they learned about our democracy in 2020. The winning videos were selected from a group of 125 entries from across the Commonwealth. A panel of judges scored each video on criteria including clarity of message, memorability, presentation, and creativity. The winners will receive awards of $500 (first place), $250 (second place), $100 (third place), and $250 (Catalyst Award) at a virtual awards ceremony on June 3,2021.



"LWVMA has been sponsoring this video contest for eight years and this year students responded with a record number of 125 entries. We were thrilled to have so many young people engaged in the topic of democracy," said LWVMA Executive Director Patricia Comfort.



"The enthusiasm and creativity for this year's video contest gives me great hope that as LWVMA moves into its next hundred years, we have a new generation focusing on the importance of our democracy, civic engagement and education," said LWVMA Co-President Elizabeth Foster-Nolan.



"I found the participation by so many students in LWVMA's Democracy Challenge Student video contest encouraging. Their insights into the challenges we all faced and met head-on to make democracy work in 2020 captured my attention and leaves me optimistic about the future and young people's engagement in civic life," said LWVMA Co-President Judy Zaunbrecher.



The contest was sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Massachusetts Citizen Education Fund, which supports programs designed to encourage the active and informed participation of citizens in democracy and increase understanding of public policy issues. Additional support for this program was provided by the Salem Five Charitable Foundation.