Students from schools located within the Carson River watershed are invited to enter this year's Carson River Video Contest, a competition designed to spark creative messages about preserving, protecting and restoring the river and its sensitive shoreline.
Winners of the "Keep Streamsides Greener, Keep Water Cleaner" competition will receive $250 cash prizes and have their work shown at a film festival to be held in January.
The 1- to 3-minute information videos must focus on how the Carson River benefits people and the community. All entries should include an action message that prompts people to take steps to help protect the river.
The contest is open to middle school, high school and community college students from schools within the river's watershed. Home-schooled students can also enter. Eligible students can enter as individuals, teams of 2 to 4 students, or as a class. The contest is sponsored by the Carson River Coalition Education Working Group.
"We're looking for short video projects that creatively explain why the Carson River's riparian area is important and what people can do to help it," said coalition member and University of Nevada Cooperative Extension water quality specialist Sue Donaldson.
One winner will be chosen from middle school, high school and community college.
Entries will be judged on creativity, clarity, quality of execution and compliance with contest rules.
The deadline for all entries is Dec. 10. Other contest rules and directions for uploading entries are available at www.unce.unr.edu/programs/sites/nemo/files/pdf/2010CarsonRiverVideoContestRules.pdf
For questions about the contest, contact Donaldson at 784-4848 or donaldsons@unce.unr.edu. For entry forms, go to www.unce.unr.edu/
nemo. For more information on riparian areas: www.unce.unr.edu/
programs/sites/nemo/files/pdf/RiparianAreas.pdf.