FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, June 11, 2013
Reading, Pa. – Fifty local teens saw their hard work come to life on the big screen at the Miller Center when their 20 public service announcements were premiered. Now the public can see and vote on them to determine the top three winning PSAs where the creators will then share a $10,000 scholarship.
Last fall, ten featured Berks County organizations presented their mission, outreach and community services to 50 students who then produced 20 PSAs that feature the non-profits. The program, called the Youth Media Initiative, hosted a showing of the films on Wednesday, May 22. Haydenfilms Institute held a press conference, featuring the launch of the student productions. Now they seek to show the world.
“The Youth Media Initiative, a multi-dimensional project, is generating international impact through the PSA Online Film Festival. The next phase of interacting with the initiative is on you, the viewer, to vote and share your favorite PSAs. By appraising the impact of the Youth Media Initiative on a violence-ravaged city, you help to advance the program to cities like yours, allowing the Youth Media Initiative to help youths across both the region and the globe,” Hayden Craddolph, Founder and Executive Director of Haydenfilms Institute, describes.
The resulting PSAs are powerful and can be viewed and voted on at http://www.haydenfilmsinstitute.org/psa-competition. Winners will be awarded a $10,000 scholarship in the fall. Craddolph hopes this interaction and spreading of the PSAs will help facilitate future dialogue and inspire change in communities, near and far. He also hopes the PSAs will be broadcast on public television.
Students were treated to many visitors and mentors during the program with State Senator Judith L. Schwank (D-11th) among them. She also expressed her excitement for the program.
"Who could send a more powerful message on the troublesome social issues that our youth face today than their peers?” Senator Schwank remarks. “These 50 talented youth have an important story to tell and participating in the Youth Media Initiative has given them the skills and expertise to communicate their thoughts. This has been a transformative experience for the students which will help them further their educational and career goals."
“We believe in the power of our youth, united with others around a common cause, to reduce violence,” Craddolph says. “Teaching them how to use their voice is our responsibility as leaders, and these stories will ultimately transcend boundaries on a global scale. Together we are working towards developing critical and creative abilities in our students when it comes to the media.”
For more information on how you can get involved with the Haydenfilms Institute, please send an e-mail to info [at] haydenfilmsinstitute.org. To vote on the films, visit: http://www.haydenfilmsinstitute.org/psa-competition