C-Span is once again hosting a documentary video creation contest for middle school and high school students. The contest is open to middle school and high school students. To enter, students need to create a documentary video 5-8 minutes long about an issue, event, or topic that has helped them understand the role of the federal government in their lives. The prizes for the winners of the contest range from $250 to $5,000 for students and $125 to $1000 for the students’ schools. The entry deadline is January 20, 2011. You can read all of the contest rules and requirements here.

Applications for Education
This contest’s topic fits very well with the curriculum of many Civics and US History courses. The process of scripting a documentary and finding resources can be a good learning experience. Even if the students don’t win, it will be good to get them thinking about the role of federal government in their lives.

Here are some related items that may be of interest to you:
Making Videos on the Web – Free Guide
9 Resources for Learning About US Presidents
How to Use C-Span’s Video Library in Your Classroom