All USA USA Territories: American Samoa (USA); Guam (USA); Puerto Rico (USA); Virgin Islands (USA); Northern Mariana Islands (USA); USA Compact Free Associations:The Federated States of Micronesia (USA) Marshall Islands (USA) Republic of Palau (USA) Canada:Alberta; British Columbia; Manitoba; New Brunswick; Newfoundland and Labrador; Northwest Territories; Nova Scotia; Nunavut; Ontario; Prince Edward Island; Quebec; Saskatchewan; Yukon; International, Israel and Canada.
Awards to USA, Canada, and International students in grades 6 through 12 for short videos that demonstrate environmental or human welfare issues caused by population growth. Videos must focus on one of the following three global issues: climate change, waste, or gender equality. Entries must be digital videos, no more than 60 seconds in length. Videos must include information about how population growth impacts the issue and at least one idea for a sustainable solution.
Through the World of 8 Billion student video contest, middle and high schoolers are given the platform to think critically about global challenges related to population and share what they think should be done to fix it.
Each entry must focus on ONE of following global topics as it relates to population growth:
Climate Change: Energy use, farming/livestock resources, deforestation, extreme weather events, environmental justice, disease evolution, etc.
Gender Equality: Girls’ education, sanitation, access to healthcare & family planning, economic opportunities, women in government, paid & unpaid labor, etc.
Waste: Food waste, sanitation, responsible consumption & production, e-waste, health implications, environmental justice, etc.
Others (see text field entitled "Additional Eligibility Criteria" for clarification)
Additional Eligibility Criteria
Students must currently be in grades 6 to 12 (in the U.S.), or the international equivalent, to be eligible to win.
Students may be located anywhere in the world.
Students may work together in groups or submit entries as individuals.
Students under the age of 13 must send a signed parent/guardian permission form via email before submitting their video in order to be eligible for the contest.
European Union residents: Students in the EU and under age 16 must fill out the Parental Consent Form following GDPR guidelines. The Consent Form is to be signed by a parent/guardian and returned as instructed on the form.
No professional assistance is allowed. Adults may assist with production but are limited to verbal guidance only. Adults are allowed to be actors or cameramen but not content contributors.
Content must comply with all local and national laws of the country of origin and the United States. Content must not
1) Promote illegal behavior
2) Support racial, religious, sexual or other invidious prejudice
3) Advocate sexual or violent exploitation
4) Violate rights established by law or agreement
5) Invade the privacy of any person
or 6) be otherwise inappropriate as determined by Population Connection in its sole and conclusive determination.
Additional Geographic Information:
Six prizes will be awarded to the best video by world region (Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America). 50 prizes will be awarded to the best video in each U.S. state.
Pre-Application Information
The 2022-2023 contest opens September 1, 2022. Entries will be accepted until February 22, 2023 (until 11:59 EST).
Students may submit as many videos entries as they wish. However, only 1 first place prize will be awarded per student/team, and no student/team may receive more than 2 awards total per contest cycle.
For each topic, there will be 1 first place winner, 1 second place winner, and 2 honorable mentions for high school applicants and 1 first place and 1 runner up for middle school applicants. State Honors: 50 prizes will be awarded to the best video in each U.S. state. International by Region Honor: Six prizes will be awarded to the best video by world region (Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America).
Estimated Size of Grant
Within each topic, awards will be presented as follows:
High School (9th-12th)
- First Place: $1,200
- Second Place: $600
- Two honorable mentions: $300
Middle School (6th-8th)
- First Place: $600
- Second Place: $300
Forms can be scanned/emailed to: Worldof8Billion@populationconnection.org; faxed to 202-332-2302; or mailed to: World of 8 Billion contest, 2120 L Street NW #500, Washington, DC 20037.
