1. Promoting Youth STD/HIV Awareness in Baltimore City Through Health Department-sponsored Student Video Contest
Sheridan M. Johnson
Community Programs and Projects Coordinator
Baltimore City Health Department

2. Background
Efforts to encourage youth STD/HIV awareness in Baltimore City have been limited to presentations at public schools, health clinics, and other educational venues.
The Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) and the Baltimore City Public School System (BCPSS) explored the idea of initiating projects that would involve students in promoting STD/HIV awareness.

3. Student Video Contest
The idea of holding a video contest that focused on STD/HIV prevention and awareness was an excellent way for students to convey information to their peers.
Students (grades 6-12) were given an opportunity to create a script and video that depicts important information about STDs and/or HIV symptoms, prevention, awareness, and treatment.

4. Eligibility
Contest was opened to students registered in middle or high school within the public school system.
Students not attending school or having poor attendance were ineligible to participate.

5. Video Content
Video must provide accurate information regarding STD/HIV prevention for a youth audience that covers one or more of the following topics:
* Symptoms and Treatments
* Feelings about STD/HIV
* Prevention Messages
* Social Impact on Community, Personal
Life, Family, etc

6. Video Specifications Must contain accurate information
Have non-offensive language
Have clear and understandable information regarding the aspects of STD/HIV prevention awareness
Length of video – 2 to 5 minutes

7. Video Specifications – Cont’d
Written script must accompany each video for BCHD/BCPSS review
Script must include the following information:
* Student participants
* Student creator(s)
* Teacher(s) monitoring project
* School and principal

8. Judges Three people were selected by BCHD/BCPSS to serve as judges
Judges were not associated with schools submitting videos
Video Evaluation Form used to grade each video

9. Award Announcements
Sixteen (16) videos were submitted by student groups from five middle schools and six high schools
All videos were shown and awards announced at the STD/HIV Prevention Hoopla Tournament - an event sponsored by one of our Syphilis Elimination grantees and a NBA player's community foundation

10. Award Announcements – Cont’d
1st , 2nd , and 3rd place middle/high school winning groups and their respective schools were awarded prizes and certificates
All student participants received a T-shirt in recognition of their creative talents
All participating schools received a plaque commemorating this event

11. Video Presentation Title of Video: “Stupid”
School: Edmondson Westside High School
Class: Media Production
Student Participants/Sponsoring Teachers/Principal:
      Andre’ Bryant, Linda Sharpe, Marcus Miles - Players
    Latia Blake – Voice Over
Sinead Hawkins – Script Writer
      Carla L. Peterson, Theo Devine – Sponsoring Teachers
Delphine M. Lee - Principal
     

12. Special Thanks Patricia Brownlee, BCPSS Phyllis Burnett, BCHD/CDC
Denise Freeman, BCHD/CDC
Glen Olthoff, BCHD/CDC
Rafiq Miazad, BCHD/Johns Hopkins University