Youth Xchange Contest Rules & Guidelines

‘Ōlelo (which in Hawaiian means “to speak”) empowers student voice by airing every student entry on cable television and over the internet. Enter ‘Ōlelo Community Media’s annual statewide student Youth Xchange video competition and learn the value and importance of speaking out on issues that concern our youth by using the creative and powerful medium of video.

All Hawai‘i state public, private, and home school and college students are welcome to participate in the only statewide student Youth Xchange video competition.

Competition Instructions

1. MANDATORY: All entries must focus on an ISSUE that affects community, our state, or the world.
2. Each entry can be submitted into no more than one category.
3. Students may only submit entries into one division: Elementary, Middle, or High. Middle schools, ranging from 6th – 8th grade, that are co-located on or integrated with either an elementary and/or high school must submit all Middle school student entries into the Middle school division.
4. Same footage cannot be used in multiple entries. Duplication of footage or script in more than one entry may lead to disqualification.
5. ENTRY SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Each entry must be uploaded to ‘Ōlelo’s contest website by 11:59 p.m. HST on Friday, March 14, 2025. All tabs and fields of the online submission form must be filled in and double checked for accuracy, i.e., title, category, first and last names of students, etc. Incomplete submissions may lead to disqualification. NOTE: Submit the best possible uncompressed file(s) as videos will air on cable television and compressed for streaming online.
6. All entries should be submitted as MOV or MP4 formatted files. Maximum file size is 1GB.
7. An “end slate” is required for entries that are 120-seconds (2-minutes) in length or longer. End slate should run 10 seconds and contain easy-to-read point size with minimally: Producer’s Name, Phone Number OR Address. Example: Waipahu Elementary School, (808) 675-0150.
8. A photo of the student team is required for each entry and must be attached to the submission. Maximum file size is 10MB.
9. The video must have been shot and edited between March 1, 2024, and March 13, 2025. The video must have been written, produced, shot, and edited by students; noting that adult or faculty input must be purely advisory. Up to five (5) students may be recognized on the entry form. If selected as a finalist, up to five (5) students, as listed on entry form, will be invited to the awards banquet. Due to limited funding, space permitting, additional tickets may be purchased at cost for additional students.
10. Submissions produced by students from any school (public, private, home, and college) in Hawai‘i between these dates are eligible for this contest regardless of entry in other competitions.
11. Home school students must obtain a faculty signature from their affiliated Hawai‘i State Department of Education school. Prizes won by home school students will be given to the home school organization.
12. College students are eligible to enter the Experts Category if they are enrolled at a higher education institution in Hawai‘i. Prizes won by college students will be given to the college’s video/film program.
13. Categories with five or less entries will not compete, unless otherwise approved by category sponsor or program director. Submissions will be placed in a similar category.
14. Any student that has won twice in past Youth Xchange contests, or who have received extensive or advanced video or animation instruction or assistance (e.g. Hiki No!, Student Television Network, etc.), is enrolled in an advanced video or animation class, or has been paid for related work, is eligible to enter only in the Jr. Experts and Experts Categories, respectively.
15. Entrants in the Jr. Experts or Experts Category are not eligible to enter in other categories.
16. Teachers and/or adult advisors are responsible for obtaining copyright clearance for all materials used in the video entry. Failure to do so may result in disqualification.

‘Ōlelo Community Media Cablecast Agreement