Sign up for Carson River video contest

Staff Reports

Students from schools within the Carson River watershed are invited to enter the 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 in January 2011.

The 1- to 3-minute information videos must show how the Carson River benefits people and the community. 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 Sue Donaldson, coalition member and University of Nevada Cooperative Extension water quality specialist.

Donaldson said riparian areas are sensitive ecosystems occurring along water courses or in water bodies. They have unique soil and plants, and work to store water in a way that helps reduce floods, stabilize stream banks from erosion, filter water for higher quality, provide habitat for birds, mammals and fish, and provide a place for recreation.

Winning entries will be featured at the film festival and showcased at www.cwsd.org. Winners will be announced in a press release to local media and will be featured at the Whit Hall Interpretive Center at The Nature Conservancy's River Fork Ranch.

Donaldson said entries will be posted on a YouTube channel and special recognition will be given to those projects that receive the most views on the Internet.

Entries will be judged on creativity, clarity, quality of execution and compliance with contest rules. The deadline for entries is Dec. 10. Entry forms at www.unce.unr.edu/nemo. Information, Sue Donaldson, 784-4848 or donaldsons@unce.unr.edu

View 2009 video contest entries at www.youtube.com/group/CarsonRiver2009

Eligible schools:

Home Schools (grades 7 - 12)

Capital Christian School

Carson Middle School

Carson Valley Middle School

Churchill County Junior High School

Dayton Intermediate School

Diamond Valley Elementary School

Eagle Valley Middle School

Pau-Wa-Lu Middle School

Silver Stage Middle School

St. Teresa of Avila Catholic School

Virginia City Middle School

Carson High School

Churchill County High School

Dayton High School

Douglas County High School

Lahontan Valley Alternative High School

Pioneer High School

Sierra Lutheran High School

Silver Stage High School

Silver State Charter School

Virginia City High School

Western Nevada College (Fallon, Minden,

Carson City campuses)