Partnership with Tempe Marketplace and Desert Ridge Marketplace Focuses on Preventing Future Crimes
PHOENIX, AZ (September 3, 2013) – Valley high school students will compete for a chance to win cash prizes and showcase their filmmaking talents on local TV in the fourth bi-annual My Message teen video competition. Sponsored by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office in partnership with Tempe Marketplace and Desert Ridge Marketplace, My Message invites teens to create a 25-second video public service announcement (PSA) that encourages their peers to avoid behaviors that can lead to criminal activity.
Eligible topics for the Fall 2013 edition of the My Message competition are: illegal drug use, underage drinking, prescription drug abuse, bullying, and truancy. A panel of judges will select five finalists who will receive a $500.00 gift card, and one Grand Prize winner who will receive a new Apple MacBook Pro®. Winning entries will be broadcast locally on cable networks with significant teen viewership.
“Our goal is to harness the creative talents of local teens to raise awareness about problems that can carry lifelong negative consequences,” said Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery. “We’ve learned from previous editions of the My Message contest that teens tend to listen to other teens, which is why these videos are far more effective in reaching the youth in our community than traditional methods of communication by adults,” he added.
“The entire Vestar company, including our centers at Tempe Marketplace and Desert Ridge Marketplace, strongly believes in being fully engaged members of the communities in which we serve,” said Denise Hart Neff, Vice President of Marketing for Vestar. “Supporting this program that brings awareness and encourages smart choices for our Valley teens is vitally important to us as a partner within the community.”
The My Message video competition is open to all Maricopa County residents 13 to 18 years of age. Complete rules and submission instructions can be found at www.SafeTeensAZ.org. The deadline for entries is November 11, 2013. Winners will be announced an awards ceremony at Tempe Marketplace on December 12, 2013 with prizes provided by Tempe Marketplace and Desert Ridge Marketplace.
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