Student Voices for Improving Education

Prize

Prizes, Scholarships & Judging Criteria

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Beginning January 1, 2013, Connecticut students in grades 6-12 are encouraged to work independently or in a small group (no more than three students) to create a 1-4 minute video that highlights their recommendations for transforming education in Connecticut.

Whether it’s using more technology in the classroom or offering credit for internships, CAPSS and CAS want to know how you would help students thrive in school. First, second and third place prizes and scholarships will be awarded in both the Middle and High School divisions.

1. The primary criterion for dispensing scholarships shall be the high-quality educational content and the impact on school and/or community members. The video must promote the improvement of and engagement in student learning.

2. The video must reflect high levels of critical thinking about what makes students want to learn.

3. The sponsoring agencies encourage collaboration among students. However, group submissions are limited to three students per group.

4. The video must be at least one minute long and no longer than five minutes in duration.

5. The content of each video must be appropriate for general consumption.

6. Adult involvement is limited to an advisory role. Parents, teachers, and administrators are not permitted to be on camera, edit videos, or provide voice-overs.

7. The Student Voice in Education contest shall have a Video Review Panel that consists of representation from the following groups: superintendents, principals, teachers, and students.

8. The Video Review Panel shall maintain the anonymity of all video submissions to ensure fairness and alleviate potential bias.

9. Videos will be scored according to the rubric posted to the CAPSS website.

10. The criteria for selecting finalists are: content, storytelling, creativity, and visual appeal.

11. The school principal (or designee) of the applicant’s school must approve of all video submissions.

12. A press release waiver and a parental sign off form must accompany all video submissions. These forms are posted to the CAPSS website at: www.capss.org/admin.cfm?tab=0. Release forms may be scanned and sent to jgaragliano@capss.org or mailed to Janet Garagliano, 26 Caya Ave., West Hartford, Ct. 06110.

13. Students submit their video by uploading it to their You Tube account and then sending a link to studentvoice@capss.org with the submission form signed by a school administrator.

14. All submissions chosen as semi-finalists will be up loaded to the CAPSS You Tube channel for the purposes of allowing public input into selecting the scholarship winners.

15. A completed entry is an email to jgaragliano@capss.org with a completed submission form, press release form(s,) and parental sign off(s) as attached. All entries will be confirmed by return email.

16. Prizes will be awarded per submission – not to each member of a team.