The Hoedag’s natural habitat, Grand Lake St. Marys, is being threatened – and it’s up to high school students in Auglaize and Mercer counties to save it. That’s the premise behind an innovative video contest sponsored by the Lake Improvement Association, a non-profit organization with a mission to restore Grand Lake St. Marys as a recreational, economic, and wildlife hub.
The contest works like this: High school students grades 9-12 in Auglaize and Mercer counties can submit videos that explain the plight of the Hoedag, a mythical creature said to dwell in Grand Lake St. Marys’ shallow depths. Each video must detail habitat issues faced by the Hoedag and present solutions for saving the creature, and in doing so save Grand Lake St. Marys. Complete rules and video submissions are available at www.savethehoedag.com. Then, the public gets to vote for Best Video. A Lake Improvement Association panel will decide the winners of two additional prizes, Most Creative Video and Funniest Video.
“The goal of the contest is to get students more involved in Grand Lake St. Marys. The young citizens will be the caretakers of the lake tomorrow, and we hope to foster an appreciation for environmental responsibility. The contest also highlights how so many things that affect our social, cultural, and individual well-being are related: a healthy Grand Lake St. Marys supports wildlife and also boosts our local economy, creating opportunity. The video contest serves as a platform for the students to educate the public and in doing so foster lifelong commitments to the environment and the total impact it has on our livelihood,” said Mark Piening, Vice President of the Lake Improvement Association. “We hope a lot of students get involved in the Save The Hoedag Video Contest, and we hope they have a lot of fun with it. We have a few simple rules, but outside of those the sky’s the limit. The kids are free to showcase their creativity and go wild. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”
For more information, complete rules, video submissions, and voting please visit www.savethehoedag.com.
Important Dates
April 22, 2011 – Video Submission Deadline
April 23, 2011 – Public Voting Begins
May 6 – Voting Deadline
TBA – Winners Announced
Prizes
Best Video – $500 to winning team’s school; $200 cash to winning team (chosen by public voting)
Most Creative Video – $200 to winning team (chosen by LIA panel)
Funniest Video – $100 to winning team (chosen by LIA panel)