The American Veterans Center Announces Video Contest For Teens To Bridge Generation Gap By Interviewing Veterans

WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Although there are almost a million World War II veterans still living, this generation is rapidly disappearing and their untold stories of bravery and sacrifice deserve to be heard. To help teens connect with this important piece of our history and make it come alive, the American Veterans Center and its partners have announced the Veterans Video History Contest video contest, a national competition to inspire teen filmmakers to capture these stories on film before they are lost. Teens will honor veterans by having these interviews preserved in the permanent archives at the Library of Congress, and will have the chance to win coveted prizes. The announcement was made today by Jim Roberts, President of the American Veterans Center.

Through December 7, 2016 aspiring young filmmakers (ages 13-18), who are currently enrolled in Junior High or High School or an accredited Home Schooling program, will record video interviews with veterans about their experiences during the war. Students may interview veterans from across generations, and particularly if possible, those with whom our time is limited: our elder veterans of World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. Participants will also be given instructions to send their interviews to be archived at the Library of Congress as part of the Veteran's History Project (VHP).

The contest connects students with veterans and gives them the opportunity to record first-hand accounts of military history. The process is simple; students will find veterans in their community and film an oral history focusing on their service. Then edit it into a 3-5 minute video essays and mail them to American Veterans Center to be judged. On the Veterans Video History Contest website, entrants will have access to guides on conducting interviews, editing resources, as well as archival footage to transform their interviews into creative videos. Eligible films will judged by a panel of qualified judges. A total of $2,100 worth of cash prizes will be awarded to the top videos. In addition, the first prize winner will receive an all-expenses paid trip to Washington D.C. for the American Veterans Center's National Memorial Day Parade. The award presentation will be made at that time. Winners announced in early 2017.

To learn how to enter the contest and view the Official Rules, please visit: www.HistoryContest.org.

"We created this contest to mobilize young Americans to record history from the people who made it," said contest founder Jeffrey Worthington. "It is our hope that this project will help bridge the generational gap and allow teens to engage with, and learn from, a rapidly disappearing generation." 

The Veterans Video History Contest is proud to be working in cooperation with the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project of the American Folklife Center in helping to preserve the legacy of American servicemen and women. The Veterans History Project was launched in 2000 and, to date, has collected over 100,000 veterans' oral histories.

About the American Veterans Center: The American Veterans Center (AVC) and its subsidiary, the World War II Veterans Committee, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit educational foundation dedicated to guarding the legacy and honoring the sacrifice of our military personnel from every generation. The National Memorial Day Parade is held annually in Washington DC, and is produced by the AVC. For more information, visit www.americanveteranscenter.org.

SOURCE American Veterans Center

Related Links

http://www.HistoryContest.org