Who is eligible to enter?
The 2026-2027 “Let’s Clear the Air: The Truth About Vaping” PSA Video Contest is only open to students attending the following participating public schools in Pennsylvania and New Jersey:
Pennsbury School District (Charles Boehm Middle School, Pennwood Middle School, William Penn Middle School); Council Rock School District (Holland Middle School, Newtown Middle School); Neshaminy School District (Maple Point Middle School, Carl Sandburg Middle School, Poquessing Middle School); New Hope-Solebury School District (New Hope-Solebury Middle School); Hamilton Township School District (Crockett Middle School, Grice Middle School, Reynolds Middle School); Hopewell Valley Regional School District (Timberlane Middle School); Trenton Public School District (Grace A. Dunn Middle School, Dr. MLK Jr. Middle School, Arthur J. Holland Middle School); Ewing Township School District (Gilmore J. Fisher Middle School); and Lawrence Township Public Schools (Lawrence Intermediate School, Lawrence Middle School)
Can a school have more than one student entry?
YES, we encourage it! Schools may have as many students create videos as they would like. Students will submit their videos to their teacher or designated school representative according to their school’s instructions.
Teachers may then select up to three (3) videos from their school as finalists to advance to the Capital Health judging committee. Only those teacher selected finalist videos should be submitted to Capital Health.
Are outside organizations, charter or private schools, youth groups, churches etc., eligible to participate?
Only middle school students attending participating schools selected by Capital Health are eligible to enter and advance as finalists.
What are some tips for students making the video?
The goal of “Let’s Clear the Air” is to educate and inform other students about vaping in a creative and engaging way. We are not looking for videos that simply try to scare people. We want students to research the topic, uncover facts, challenge common myths and share something they think other young people should know.
Think about the person watching your video: What do you want them to know that they did not know before? Then find a creative way to tell that story.
Students can act out a scene, tell a story, create characters, interview each other or come up with an original approach of their own. We especially love when students put themselves in the video. Some of our favorite entries over the years have featured students in front of the camera, giving their PSA personality and a student voice.
Videos may explore myths versus facts, nicotine and addiction, what vaping can do to the body, what is actually in a vape, peer pressure and social influences, how vaping is marketed to young people, reasons to remain vape free or another vaping related topic.
Students should NOT demonstrate, depict or simulate vaping or the use of a vaping device or e-cigarette. Inappropriate language or images will result in disqualification. Copyrighted content is prohibited.
Only royalty free music, photos, images and videos should be used.
Please double check spelling and grammar before submitting.
For ideas and inspiration, visit capitalhealth.org/healthystudents to watch winning videos from previous campaigns.
What are the prize categories and amounts?
Capital Health will present seven (7) monetary awards:
- Most Creative: $2,000
- Most Impactful: $2,000 • Best Messaging: $2,000
- Honorable Mention: four (4) awards of $1,000 each Each monetary award will be presented to the PTO or PTA of the winning school, for a total of $10,000 in awards
Will finalists receive recognition?
YES. Each student or student team whose video is selected by their school as a finalist will receive an award certificate from Capital Health recognizing their work and achievement. Finalist certificates are separate from the seven monetary awards and have no cash value.
How long should the video be?
Videos should be one minute or less and may not exceed sixty (60) seconds.
Can students work in groups? Is there a limit to the number of students in a group?
YES. Students may work individually or as part of a team. Videos must be created entirely by students and must follow the requirements in the official contest rules.
How are the finalists selected?
Teachers or designated school representatives will review the eligible student videos submitted at their school and may select up to three (3) videos to advance as finalists. Schools should only advance videos that meet the eligibility, content and technical requirements outlined in the official contest rules.
When and how will the final award recipients be announced?
After the May 7, 2027 finalist submission deadline, the Capital Health judging committee will review the finalist videos. Capital Health will contact the schools selected to receive the seven monetary awards following the judging process. Finalists and award recipients will then be announced according to the campaign schedule.
Can I use music and photos?
Yes, but only royalty free music, photos, images and videos may be used. Copyrighted content is prohibited. Students and schools are responsible for making sure they have the appropriate rights and permissions for anything included in a video.
What can the prize money be used for?
Each monetary award will be presented to the winning school’s PTO or PTA to determine how the funds will be used, subject to the official contest rules.
If our students are selected as finalists or award recipients, can Capital Health help us recognize them?
Absolutely. We are happy to work with participating schools on opportunities to recognize students and present their Capital Health award certificates. If your school would like to arrange an in-person presentation, we kindly ask for at least two weeks’ notice so we have enough time to coordinate a date and time that works for everyone.
What is the deadline?
Teachers or designated school representatives must submit their school’s selected finalist videos to Capital Health by 11:59 PM (EST) on May 7, 2027.
Schools may establish an earlier internal deadline for students to submit videos to their teachers. We strongly encourage schools not to wait until the final day to submit their finalists in case of technical issues.
Why is the deadline later this year?
We extended the deadline to give schools more time to participate and to allow the contest to fit into either a fall or spring block schedule. Schools may begin working on the campaign at any time during the school year, but all finalist videos must be submitted to Capital Health by May 7, 2027.
How do schools submit their finalists?
Only teachers or designated school officials should submit finalist videos to Capital Health. Each participating school may submit up to three (3) finalist videos through the official online entry form here.
Finalist videos must be no larger than 50MB and must meet the file format and technical requirements listed in the official contest rules. Videos sent by email, mail or another method will not be accepted.
Where can I find more information?
For campaign information, guidelines, official contest rules, and submission details, click here.