City of Bend and BendFilm Youth Filmmaking and Poetry Contests

This year for Earth Day, the City of Bend and BendFilm are partnering to provide a hands-on, educational contest for young filmmakers in grades 5-12 and young poets in grades K-12. The Clean Water Works Kids contest challenges participants to create “Clean Water Works” messages with a focus on stormwater pollution prevention.

Young filmmakers are invited to produce a 30-second public service announcement in the form of a television commercial that educates the public about the need for stormwater pollution prevention and actions to help keep Bend’s waters clean.

Young poets are also encouraged to create a message about pollutants in our waters. It can be a sonnet, limerick, haiku or free verse. The Youth Poetry Contest is open to children in grades K-12.

The grand prize videographer will have the opportunity to work with professionals at Zolo Media to develop their video into an actual public service announcement commercial to be debuted at the BendFilm festival. 

The contests will have formal judging along with a People’s Choice Award that will be based on online voting to take place in late spring. Prizes will be awarded for multiple categories in both the video and poetry contests. Entries are due April 30, 2018.

For entry packets, examples of past winners, and more information about how to enter the contest, visit the Clean Water Works Kids page at www.bendoregon.gov/cleanwaterworkskids.