American Fork Communities That Care Coalition (AFCares) are putting on the competition. There were 25 entries last year according to AFCares coordinator Brook Anderson.

“They were amazing. The kids did such a good job on all of them,” she said. After seeing the number of kids that wanted to participate, and the effort put into the videos, she wanted to expand the competition.

Expanding the competition provides more awareness to students at other schools about the dangers of vaping. AFCares confirmed that vaping is extremely prevalent in middle and high schools — after placing censors in the city’s schools –which is part of why Anderson is continuing to hold the competition.

The majority of the project’s funding comes from a grant designed to help stop vaping in schools. AFCares received data that showed for children from grade six to grade 12, their biggest struggle is vaping.

“I wanted to target it not only because my grant is specific to it, but also it really is the biggest concern that us as parents have for our kids,” Anderson said.

Applicants are asked to make sure their videos take a scientific approach akin to “Bill Nye the Science Guy” videos.

Contestants are given four websites to use for fact finding. The teens can create the video in whichever way best communicates their message — whether comedy or drama. She explained that she hopes the youth will find information for themselves and be able to share it with their peers.

The idea for this competition came from Anderson’s teenage children. Last year she asked them what type of video they would watch that promoted anti-vaping, and they said none. They told her videos with parents or adults lecturing about the dangers of vaping are too serious, but said if they were to film one that it would be funny.

“Well how about you guys do it, that would be pretty cool,” she told them. Anderson put a three minute limit on the videos to ensure they will keep people’s attention.

There are four categories that will receive prizes: Overall best, most creative, best message and best performance. Overall best will receive a MacBook Pro and the winners of the other categories will receive an iPad.

“The number one thing is just best message, and however that comes across, if it’s funny, serious, it doesn’t matter. But at the end of the video when you turn it off, and you go ‘Oh, wow,’ they really put thought into it or this really taught a lesson really quick, that’s going to be the biggest thing, is the message,” Anderson said.

She said she is excited to see what the youth come up with this year. She said she hopes the prizes will incentivize them to participate, but on top of that, she said it will give them the technology to continue creating videos on their own.

The winners will be announced and awarded their prizes on Sept. 23 at The Towne Hub Video Premier, where all submitted videos will be shown.

Many or all of the videos will be placed on social media to spread awareness of the dangers of vaping. More information about the competition rules and requirements can be found on AFCares Facebook and Instagram pages. The flier on its social media has a QR code to submit the videos.