Central Oahu Schools Vying For Video Prize

Entries from 11 Central Oahu student video teams are in the running for top awards this Friday at the 10th annual ‘Olelo Youth Xchange Video Competition awards banquet at Ko Olina Resort.

The cable company announced a record 658 entries this year, and judges picked 114 as finalists. At stake is a high-definition Sony digital video camera for the winning school in each of 38 categories. Three finalists were selected in each category among public, private and charter schools across the state.

The Waialua High and Intermediate video team is a finalist in three categories: Mo’olele o Oahu (“I Ola Hawaii” category) and Bullying (“News” and “Peacemaker”). Hale Kula Elementary also has three finalists: Flip It (“Energy Conservation”), The Time We Became Citizen Scientists (“I Ola Hawaii”), and Operation Save H20 (“Saving H2Outdoors”).

Other area schools in contention are Leilehua and Mililani high schools (two entries each) and Iliahi Elementary.

As the state’s oldest and largest youth video competition, the program is intended to help keiki develop their storytelling voice in a variety of video formats on subjects meaningful to them.

The program is supported by several government and private sponsors, including First Hawaiian Bank, Honolulu Star-Advertiser and Ko Olina Hawaii.