Georgia Students Compete for 30 Seconds of Fame

Georgia Students Compete for 30 Seconds of Fame

TV Commercial Contest Encourages Students to Earn Their Diplomas

ATLANTA, Oct. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Too many students in Georgia are calling it quits on education before they graduate. Now students in grades six through 12 are being asked to speak out about the benefits of earning their diploma through the Education GO Get It "What Would You Say?" contest. Education GO Get It, an organization focused on keeping kids in school, is calling for students to write a television commercial about the importance of graduating from high school, and continuing their education. The winning television ad will air throughout the state to increase teen awareness of the benefits of staying in school.

The statewide contest is asking individuals, or teams of up to five students, to submit broadcast scripts and storyboards for a 30-second television commercial by Dec. 2, 2005. Students and educators are encouraged to visit www.georgiaGO.org or call (866) 464-GRAD for more information regarding the contest, eligibility requirements and forms needed to enter.

To assist with their entries, students can learn how to write a script, create a professional storyboard and use a creative brief using information provided in GO's "How to Create a Winning TV Ad Student Tool Kit" on the GO Web site. Teachers are also encouraged to visit www.georgiaGO.org for information on how to incorporate the contest into their classroom curricula.

Winning entries for both middle and high school students will be selected in each of 12 Georgia regions. Regional winners will compete statewide for the grand prize opportunity to have their commercial professionally produced. The person or team who submits the winning script will receive a trip to Atlanta to help produce their 30-second television commercial, which will air on Georgia television stations this spring.

Last year 35 out of 100 students in Georgia did not to graduate from high school. According to Georgia Southern University, the big picture of high school noncompletion for the state has an annual direct economic impact of more than $17 billion.

"Students listen to each other, and the "What Would You Say?" contest is putting the power of persuasion in the hands of students," said Brian Dominguez, the director of Education GO Get It.

The innovative contest is already being embraced throughout the state. Traffic to the Education GO Get It Web site has increased 59 percent, the number of phone calls to the GO hotline has increased by 127 percent and email inquiries are up by 200 percent since the "What Would You Say?" contest was announced on Sept. 26. As an increasing number of students become engaged in the contest and educators implement the contest into their curricula, further active participation in Georgia's education system is encouraged.

The Education GO Get It, "What Would You Say?" contest is organized through partnerships with the Board of Regents, the Department of Education, the Department of Economic Development, and GAcollege411. This important campaign for Georgia's youth is designed to raise awareness and engage students in a dialogue about the benefits of education, encourage peer-to-peer communication and show students how current courses connect to future careers.

Education GO Get It is a state-wide network of public and private partners dedicated to improving the quality of life for all Georgians by enabling and motivating students to stay in school, obtain a high school diploma and pursue a two-year, four-year or technical college degree. Georgia's Education GO Get It program was launched in February of 2005 and operates as a unit of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. For more information please visit www.georgiaGO.org.

Source: Education GO Get It

CONTACT: Tara Y. Coyt of Education GO Get It, +1-404-463-1914, or tara.coyt@georgiaGO.org

Web site: http://www.georgiago.org/

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