3 minute read
Districts Make the Difference
Student Video Contest Winners!
Districts Make the Difference’s annual Student Video Contest has wrapped for 2022, with Victoria Loredan of Wellington High School in Florida taking the top prize. Ms. Loredan would like to acknowledge her friend and co-star, Khania Stevenson, for starring in the video with her.
With dozens of entries across 14 states, students were challenged to make a video less than 60 seconds in length that would raise awareness and understanding of the special districts that serve communities across the country. The videos were first evaluated for accuracy, video quality, and entertainment value. The top ten videos were then posted for a public vote from May 10 to 17, 2022, on districtsmakethedifference.org.
The central Palm Beach County winner offered a “fresh” look at Acme Improvement District (AID) of Wellington, Florida. Their Bel-Air-inspired video secured them enough votes for first place and the grand prize of $2,000.
“This project helped teach me that special districts help run our community. Prior to making this video, I had no idea that my special district was [such a vital part of] making my community run,” said Loredan.
Each contestant also nominated a teacher to win a $500 classroom prize. At Wellington High School, Nancy Toussaint was the grateful recipient of the award. Ms. Toussaint is a math teacher in the school’s Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) program and a sponsor of the school’s Black Leadership and Achievement Student Team (BLAST).
Second place in the video contest went to Julianne Elizabeth Jones of Pendleton High School in Pendleton,
Oregon. She highlighted the importance of the Umatilla Special Library District. In the video, you will find her educating the likes of Bigfoot and zombies on the important role special districts play in her community. Spoiler alert: Bigfoot is now a library card-carrying member of the Umatilla Special Library District.
About her video, Jones says, “I love libraries, especially our library in Pendleton, Oregon. Our library would not be able to operate without the funding from the Umatilla County Special Library District. Libraries are much more than just a place to check out books. They function more like community centers. The resources libraries provide are too numerous to list but all are available free of charge. As Teen Council Chairperson, it is my privilege to help plan fun and engaging activities for young adults to learn more about all that the library has to offer. Everyone is welcome at the library – even Bigfoot!”
She won a $1,000 prize in addition to a $500 classroom prize for her teacher-sponsor, Melissa Smith, Pendleton High School’s Hospitality and Tourism Instructor, who plans to use the funding for “industry-related field trips and outings,” she said.
Aditi Rai of Elkhorn South High School in Omaha, Nebraska, placed bronze in the student video contest, receiving a $500 prize and $500 award for science teacher Tristan Manasek. The high-level look at special districts serves as a great primer for those unfamiliar with what special districts do or how they operate.
“My biggest takeaway [is] that special districts are designed with one thing in mind: to cater to the needs of citizens. They help in places where other forms of government can’t help,”said Rai.
The Districts Make the Difference Student Video contest began in 2017 to educate students on the role special districts play in the communities they serve. Originally a Californiaonly competition, the contest expanded nationally this year, broadening its audience and bringing awareness of special districts, courtesy of the National Special Districts Coalition.
To view the winning videos, visit districtsmakethedifference.org/video-contest. To learn more about the National Special Districts Coalition, visit nationalspecialdistricts.org.
Supporting California Special Districts Since 1980.
Litigation Negotiations Labor Relations Preventative Training Business & Construction Personnel Evaluation Employment Law Wage & Hour Retirement
