Escape the Vape Video Challenge

The Escape the Vape Video Challenge is a contest to engage Minnesota middle and high school students and raise awareness of the dangers of using e-cigarettes, often called vaping. To participate, students will submit a 30-second public service announcement (PSA) video to educate their peers, schools, families, and community on the dangers of vaping nicotine. This opportunity allows students to use their creative energy to make a difference in their community.

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Contest Prizes

The top 5 winning entries in both the high school and middle school divisions will each win the following cash prizes:

• 1st place: $500 for the winning entry and $500 for their school or organization
• 2nd place: $250 for the winning entry and $250 for their school or organization
• 3rd place: $150 for the winning entry
• 4th place: $100 for the winning entry
• 5th place: $50 for the winning entry

The first 100 entrants will also receive an Escape the Vape beanie, drawstring backpack, among other swag items. The top 25 videos in each division (middle and high school) will receive two Escape the Vape stainless steel water bottles (one for the student and one for a friend), drawstring backpack, among other swag items.

New for 2023: The school with the highest percentage of participating students will receive a $1,000 award.

Key Dates

January 3, 2023	Contest Announced
February 1, 2023	Video Submission Opens Students will have the month of February to finalize and submit their videos
February 28, 2023	Video Submission Deadline
March 24, 2023	Finalists Announced
March 24 - April 6, 2023	Public Voting
April 7, 2023	Winners Announced

 

Help Promote the Contest with Your Students

School administrators, principals, teachers, as well as community leaders and parents are crucial components in helping to spread the word about this contest to students and encourage their participation. Schools are encouraged to include this project in their curriculum and to provide students with resources to complete their videos, such as props, space to plan and film, and access to their theater teacher or advisor.

Include information about the Escape the Vape Video Challenge in your communications to students and parents, such as:

• Daily announcements
• Newsletters and emails to parents, students and teachers
• Bulletin boards
• Social media channels
• School or organization websites

For even more tools, check out Escape the Vape Video Challenge: Promotional Kits. Promotional kits include a sample social media calendar, social media posts, as well as digital promotion and media tools.

Contest Rules

Videos must:

• Be created by students in grades 6-12
• Be less than 30 seconds long
• Include one key fact or message about the dangers of vaping
• Include one call to action
• Be created solely by the student and their team members, with no parent or teacher help

Help ensure youth are smart and safe while creating their videos. Student videos must not include:

• Copyrighted music, movies, books, etc.
• Logos, brands, or store signs
• Themselves or anyone else using or displaying a vaping device
• Disrespectful, dangerous, or illegal content, nor inappropriate language

For a full list of rules, including a Spanish translation of the rules and forms, visit Escape the Vape Video Challenge: Rules.

Contest Participation and Submission Forms

Each student will need parental or guardian consent to submit a participation form. However, for students working in groups, only one member of the group will need to submit a video submission form.

• Participant Permission Form
• Video Submission Form

Become a Sponsor

The Escape the Vape Video Challenge would not be possible without the partnership and generosity of its Sponsors. Sponsorships provide valuable resources for the contest, including the ability to offer motivating prizes and swag to participants.

Sponsorships also make the following possible:

• The distribution of additional promotional kits to schools.
• An increase in prize amounts for 2023, as well as the number of students who receive prizes.
• Translated Escape the Vape Video Challenge materials into multiple languages.
• Contest promotion in unique places, such as youth-focused venues, concert programs, paid online ads, targeted mailings to youth organizations, speaker stipends, among others.

Sponsors of the Escape the Vape Video Challenge will have:

• Their organization logo placed on the main page of the contest website.
• Their logo placed on communications, such as contest promotions, participant materials, and the contest voting website.
• The opportunity to include their organization’s materials in promotional kits sent to participating schools as well as prize packages sent to students.
• Exposure to students, parents, teachers, and administrators at more than 100 school districts across the state of Minnesota.

Most importantly, your contributions help support the crucial work of educating students on the dangers of vaping.

To become a sponsor, email mnescapethevape@gmail.com.

Learn more about sponsoring the Escape the Vape Video Challenge Sponsorship (PDF).

Learn More

• 2023 Escape the Vape Video Challenge
• E-cigarettes and Vapes
• Youth E-cigarette Prevention and Cessation Initiative
• School Toolkit for E-cigarette Use Prevention and Cessation

For questions, contact the Escape the Vape Video Challenge team at mnescapethevape@gmail.com.

About ACET, Inc.

The Escape the Vape Video Challenge is a program coordinated by ACET, Inc. in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Health. ACET is a Minnesota based organization that provides culturally tailored evaluation services and solutions to meet the needs of your program, community, and stakeholders. ACET helps organizations imagine and create solutions to document and understand progress, more effectively deliver on goals, and plan for lasting impact.