Make a Video to Help Combat Cyberbullying in Northfield

Technology has done much to bring people from faraway lands face-to-face with a click of a button.

Technology has also aided in dividing people, including the world’s youth.

For every positive connection or moment one can find on the Internet, one could easily find a written attack from one kid to another on Facebook.

And with the vast majority of youth perusing the Internet, cyberbullying needs to stop, says Janet Lewis Muth, coordinator of Growing Up Healthy in Rice County.

Cyberbullying is when a child, preteen or teen is tormented, threatened, harassed, humiliated, embarrassed or otherwise targeted by another child, preteen or teen using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones, according to stopcyberbullying.org. It has to involve a minor on both sides, the website says, or at least have been instigated by a minor against another minor.

Last school year, the Northfield School Board updated its bullying policy to include language .

“Technology is a reality,” Muth said. “We want to encourage responsible use of technology so we can all benefit from it being part of our lives.”

Enter an opportunity for Northfielders to find their inner-Woody Allen.

Submissions are now being accepted for a 30- to 90-second videos raising awareness about cyberbullying. The video contest is put on by the Northfield Healthy Community Initiative, with the support of , and the TLC Committee of the Mayor’s Task Force on Youth Alcohol and Drug Use.

The videos can be aimed at youth, Muth said, or can be focused on what parents and other adult community members can do to help prevent cyberbullying.

Three winners will be selected and wil receive $200. Submissions are due by Aug. 15. While the cash prize is nice, HCI Executive Director Zach Pruitt says there’s a clear motive for the contest.

“We hope it’s part of an ongoing effort to remind both parents and students of the issue,” he said.

The contest is open to all ages and ability levels and prior experience is not necessary, Pruitt said. The video, in the end, is about the message, he said.

Muth echoed that sentiment, saying it’s important to create videos that resonate with community members.

“We’re hoping this contest will give us that message to you,” she said.

Contest Rules/Guidelines

• Video PSA’s should be created and uploaded to YouTube by August 15, 2011. Specific guidelines for submission are listed below.
• All videos should be 30-90 seconds.
• All videos should address the topic as described above.
• Videos must not contain any material that is deemed inappropriate (obscene language, nudity, violence, etc.).  Any video that contains content that is deemed inappropriate by the panel of judges will be disqualified.
• All videos must comply with the copyright rules as stated on YouTube. Content must be your own or your video will be disqualified.
• All contestants must submit paper documents to the HCI office in addition to the submission of the video via YouTube.  Submitted videos that do not have a paper registration form will be disqualified. All paper forms are available from the HCI office, the LINK Center desk, school offices, and for download  below.
• Videos will be judged by a panel of youth and community leaders.  There will also be a “viewer’s choice” award determined by on-line voting. Voting will take place in September.

Rules for Submission

• Videos should be uploaded to YouTube and marked as “Private.”
• Videos should then be shared with “northfieldhci” through the YouTube sharing function by midnight on August 15, 2011
• A paper registration form should be turned in to the HCI office by midnight on August 15, 2011
• Contestants may submit more than one entry, but each submitted video must be accompanied by its own paper registration form.
• Release forms for all participants in the video must also be submitted along with the registration form.

Forms

• Registration form
• Video release form (print one for each participant in your video)

 Source: Northfield HCI