THE CHRISTOPHERS ANNOUNCE WINNERS OF YOUTH VIDEO AND POSTER CONTESTS

NEW YORK, June 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Christophers named the three top prize winners in their 34^th Annual Poster Contest for High School Students—and their 36^th Annual Video Contest for College Students. Both competitions center on the theme "You can make a difference," a key idea behind programs from The Christophers, a non-profit group that produces media that reflects the idea, "It's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness."

Nearly 500 poster entries were received from high school students nationwide. Mattelyn Hall of Groesbeck, TX, won first prize; Chelsea Parada of Kennesaw, GA, placed second; and Ava Ferrara of Missouri City, TX, won third prize.

First prize-winner, high school senior Mattelyn Hall, utilized watercolor to recreate a scene showcasing the bounty of last year's harvest from a "thriving garden" she helped establish at Groesbeck, TX High School.

Chelsea Parada, a senior at Mount Paran Christian High School in Kennesaw, GA, showed that even the smallest gesture can make a difference to someone who truly needs it. Her second place hand-painted poster depicts two uniformed high school girls, one black and the other white, sharing a warm embrace.

A collage of photos is featured in the third prize winning digital poster by Ava Ferrara, a junior at Ridge Point High School in Missouri City, TX. The images show younger and older girls dancing, wearing T-shirts with the words "Volunteer, Love, Connect" on them.

From nearly 100 entries, Alexandra Carson, a film and television major at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, MO, took the top prize in The Christophers' College Video Contest.

In "My Friend, David," she documents her older brother David, who has low-functioning autism. Carson's film delves beneath the surface of what it means to be autistic by letting her audience get to know the person behind the condition. "His words hold so much weight," she said. "He makes for a great listener, and he shows me what it means to be alive. Whatever he feels, he feels with his whole being and loves with everything he has."

Second prize went to computer science major Kaitlyn Harrington from Villanova University, collaborating with the philanthropic organization "Play it Forward," which has made a positive impact on the town of Villanova, PA. Harrington's video, titled "Enabling Communities to 'Play It Forward' for Kids in Need," shows how the group has provided nearly 600 youngsters with sports equipment needed to take part in athletic activities, enabling them to join their school's teams, boosting their physical fitness, mental health, emotional well-being, and self-confidence.

When it comes to making a difference, third prize winner Devin Huynh, a student at California State University-Northridge, starts with Eleven Percent, referring to both his business and his YouTube channel, which has more than 15,000 subscribers. Huynh's video, "Making a Difference from a Hobby," shows how his passion for creating his own media content developed into a full-fledged profession. His hobby became a platform for outreach and education, dedicated to helping those in need, such as donating Thanksgiving meals to families and school uniforms to kids in Africa.

"Highlighting those using their God-given talents to make a positive impact is exactly what our founder, Father Keller's, message has been about from the very beginning," said Tony Rossi, The Christophers' Director of Communications, and Sarah E. Holinski, The Christophers' Youth Coordinator. "This year and every year, we at The Christophers are especially proud to recognize so many remarkable and inspiring young people who use the creative arts to steadfastly continue to light their own candles, rather than cursing the darkness."

Founded in 1945, The Christophers uses mass media to encourage all individuals to make a positive difference in the world, as expressed in the Christopher motto: "It's better to light one candle than to curse the darkness."

SOURCE The Christophers