Public Service Announcement Contest

Why Make Public Service Announcements?

“Science alone will not save us. Civic engagement might.” - Michael Mann et al

Congratulations to our 2023 PSA Contest Winners!

View their video and audio PSAs here

PSA Contest Instructions

Dates

• Optional: Request for the WVCCPD Team to call in to your class and pitch the PSA contest and offer tips! Email us at wvccpd@gmail.com 

• Optional Online PSA Help Sessions Wednesdays, February 15th and March 1st, 2023, 5:30-6:30pm at this zoom link 

• Final PSAs due Sunday, March 12th, 2023 by midnight.

• Winners Announced Monday, April 3rd, 2023.

• PSAs broadcast on TV, news, and social media April 17th-30th, 2023.

• Earth Day is April 22nd, 2023.

Format

• NOTE: You will need a Google Account to submit your PSAs. You can create a Google Account here, or let us know if you need help and we can work with you.

• Video PSAs must be submitted in a ready-to-air MP4 format and at least 720 dpi resolution along with a copy of the script and research notations.

• Audio PSAs should be submitted in a ready-to-air MP3 format, along with a copy of the script and research notations.

• PSAs should be 30-seconds or 60-seconds in length (preferably 30-seconds). 

• Participants have flexibility and creative license in developing their PSA. Different media (live action, animation, stop motion etc.) are all encouraged. The PSA can be done very simply with a single actor reading or performing a message or it can be an elaborate production with music and sound or visual effects. However, keep in mind that PSAs should be data-driven and supported by and aligned with the information gathered from reputable sources.

• Must include the tagline: “This PSA was created by West Virginia [elementary], [middle school] or [high school] students for the West Virginia Climate Change Professional Development Program” at the end of the PSA. This can be done through text or voice over.

PSA Topics

• Must connect to solutions featured on the WVCCPD How You Can Help page using Resources and Activities or the Beyond the PD materials under these topic themes:

  • Theme 1: Education about climate change:

    • Educate audience on what climate change means for WV

    • ex: you may want to use WV Climate Link

  • Theme 2: Reducing energy consumption and carbon footprint

    • Ex: in a particular area, like transportation, food systems, energy efficiency, carbon storage (ex: forests), Using eco-friendly products, need for more diverse energy resources in WV

    • Things you can do in your schools, ex: using the K-12 Climate Action Plan, Green School Certification, School gardening and/or composting programs and how they connect to climate change.

  • Theme 3: How to take collective action and make your voice heard

    • Messaging about how the most important thing we can do to fight climate change is to talk about it, how to find reputable sources, examples of organizations people can join

    • Examples from the Youth Climate Movement, ex: Young Voices for the Planet

  • Theme 4: Success stories of climate solutions and climate resilience, especially in WV

    • ex: Coalfield Development, Project Drawdown

Common Pitfalls: 

• Too much doom & gloom messaging. Try to focus on solutions and empowering action with concrete examples.

• Misleading messages, ex: that the public opinion is all that matters. If you are going to reference opinions, make sure to  also clarify the scientific consensus.

• Misconceptions: While climate change does cause an increase in the frequency and severity of flooding for WV, we can’t say that it causes any one specific flood.

• Over-focus on recycling more and picking up trash – this is, of course, important, but it doesn’t get to the heart of solving climate change. This is just good environmental stewardship and should be done whether or not the climate was changing, so try to go beyond this. 

See more PSA Advice here!

Eligible Participants

• Priority to middle or high school student(s) or teacher(s) in West Virginia.

• Individual student or teacher, or teams of up to 3 people consisting of students, teachers, or a mix of students and teachers. Collaborations are encouraged. 

• Each individual or team may submit up to 3 PSA entries.

Copyright

• Participants are required to act responsibly and follow all applicable copyright laws in the production of the PSA. 

• Participants must be the author and copyright owner of the entry (which means including or having permission via license or otherwise to use or incorporate portions of the entry that are authored, owned or controlled by anyone else). 

• Avoid licensed music as well as any brand or product names. Sound effects and public domain music may be used or “Royalty free” music can be purchased for a single fee with no subsequent royalties. 

• Create your own music and images, if you can!

Forms to print, sign, and scan to submit with your PSA

• Media Release Form: You must download, print, and fill out this Media Release Form and submit it with your PSA files below for each person in your video.

• Parent Permission Form: For every team member under 18 years of age. 

• Copyright Permission (if applicable).

Submission Instructions

• Submissions can be uploaded using the Google form at the bottom of this page. No entries will be accepted after the due date. 

• Each individual or team may submit up to 3 PSA entries.

Awards

Supported by a grant from the Appalachian Stewardship Foundation, these awards will be for the individual or team per submission, i.e. if you are part of a team, your team captain will be responsible for splitting the gift card winning. The winning PSA sound and video files will be shared on the project website and broadcast across media platforms in West Virginia. 

"The most important thing you can do to fight climate change is to talk about it.” – Katharine Hayhoe

Climate Change PSA Examples