Students & Educators
Hawai‘i’s statewide student video competition
YXC Video Contest
The Youth Xchange Statewide Student Video Competition is a premier statewide event open to all students. This competition empowers youth to create, produce, and promote awareness of critical community issues through video content, bringing these important topics to the forefront.
Participation Package
Download the complete Participation Package, designed as a helpful companion to this website. It walks you through everything you need to know, from rules and timelines to submission steps and helpful tips to participate in YXC.
Resources
Program Updates
Learn about the new YXC structure and divisions for 2026 —
Beginner (Elementary, Middle, High) and Expert (Elementary & Middle combined, plus High).
Rules & Guidelines
Eligibility, divisions, time limits, originality requirements, and usage permissions. Please review the full rules thoroughly before you get started on your project.
How to Enter & Submit
Step-by-step guide to preparing your files and submitting via the Upload Portal (formats, naming, and confirmation).
Judging Rubric
What judges look for: message, creativity, storytelling, technical execution, and overall impact.
FAQ’s
Quick answers about eligibility, multiple entries, time limits, music rights, AI policy, and file formats.
Content Library
Download sponsor-provided assets for your videos: logos, footage, music cues, and brand guidelines.
Categories
There are two categories in YXC: General and Sponsored. Both give students the chance to tell powerful stories about issues that matter in Hawaiʻi.
General Categories
General categories are for student-created projects that follow the overall YXC contest criteria. Students choose their own topic and produce either a Short Format or Long Format piece.
Short Form
30 seconds–2 minutes (credits not counted)
- PSAs (30–60 sec): A focused message encouraging awareness or action on an issue that matters in Hawai‘i.
- News Stories (1–2 min): A journalistic piece informing viewers about a timely event, issue, or community story.
Long Form
3–5 minutes (credits not counted)
- Narrative: A scripted story with a plot, characters, and dialogue.
- Mini-Doc: A nonfiction exploration of a person, place, or issue.
- Informational: An educational video explaining a topic or process.
- Call to Action: A persuasive piece encouraging positive change.
Sponsored Categories
Sponsored categories are created in partnership with community organizations and agencies. Each sponsor provides a specific prompt, focus area, or theme, and may offer additional prizes for winning entries.
- Follow a sponsor’s topic, question, or call to action.
- Use the detailed guidelines provided on each sponsor flyer.
- Entries are judged separately from the General categories.
Sponsored category prompts and flyers for YXC 2026 will be announced soon.