Student teams from West Virginia University-Parkersburg and Ohio Valley University took away top honors at the awards ceremony held Thursday, December 5, at OVU. The contest, sponsored by Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action, challenged participants to create a Public Service Announcement (PSA) that draws attention to the impacts of climate change and the urgent need for action in the Mid-Ohio Valley.

The team of Madison Sayre and Ryan McCoy from WVU Parkersburg won first and second place in the PSA video category, and received prizes of $500 and $300. The WVU team also won the audio PSA category prize of $250. The video category third place prize of $200 went to the Ohio Valley University Business Communications team of Daniel Hagberg, Catherine Sellers, Todd Goccey and Thomas Weatherford.

As part of the program, all contest entries were shown, and participants shared their reactions to creating the PSAs. “Doing the PSA opened our eyes to this area and climate change that’s happening here’ said one team member. Another remarked, “It’s such a big problem. You find yourself asking, ‘I’m so small in the face of it — what can I do?'”

“Today’s young people will feel the effects of climate change much more than my generation, and having them communicate ideas about climate change is very powerful.” said Jean Ambrose, contest administrator. “All the PSAs entered in the contest had valuable messages, and all of them addressed in different ways the effects of climate change on the Mid-Oho Valley. But most importantly, the messages were hopeful, with positive ideas about what we can do, whether it’s something small and personal or something like these PSAs that can reach a wider audience.”

Ambrose and co-vice chair Giulia Mannarino also recognized the Dunn Family Foundation. “It’s the generous grant from the Dunn Foundation that makes possible the prizes we’ve awarded to the contest winners, and we’re very grateful for their support.”

Wayne Dunn from the Foundation was impressed with the young participants and their efforts to prepare their generation. “You have stepped forward and taken responsibility,” Dunn said.

All the PSA entries will be considered for placement on local TV stations in coming months. They are also available on the Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action website and will be posted on MOVCA’s YouTube channel.

Mid-Ohio Valley Climate Action focuses on raising awareness of the solid science establishing the danger of the climate crisis and the urgency of dealing with it. MOVCA supports the efforts of 350.org, and Citizens’ Climate Lobby, and is a Science Booster Club for the National Center for Science Education. The not-for-profit volunteer group also collaborates with other environmental groups on campaigns and events in the Mid-Ohio Valley. For more information, visit the organization’s web page (http://main.movclimateaction.org).
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