Gold miner supports OMA’s high school video competition with a fresh initiative

This article was provided by the Ontario Mining Association (OMA), an organization that was established in 1920 to represent the mining industry of the province.

Ontario Mining Association member St Andrew Goldfields (SAS) has taken a fresh approach to help promote the So You Think You Know Mining high school video competition.  The gold producer has spread the word through internal communications and on-line social media offering high school aged children of its employees an opportunity to win extra cash prizes by entering a video on the benefits of mining.

Any video produced by children of SAS employees will be entered into a random draw for a $500 prize.  Students are requested to show proof of entry in the SYTYKM competition and submit a copy of their video to the company by March 31, 2012.  The deadline for the fourth annual SYTYKM competition itself is March 15, 2012.

In the true spirit of SYTYKM, SAS is employing video and a social media platform that is popular with young people to support the OMA’s high school video competition.  You can see a promotional video on YouTube featuring Geoff Ramey, Human Resources Director at SAS.  You can also check out the OMA’s YouTube channel, which is used to support SYTYKM and to share messages in these videos with a wider audience.
  
SAS, with its head office in Toronto, is a gold mining and exploration company.  It has an extensive land position in the Timmins area and to the east of this historic gold producing area.  In 2011, it produced about 75,000 ounces of gold.  In 2012, its anticipated production from three mines – Holloway, Holt and Hislop – is 90,000 to 100,000 ounces of gold.  The company has about 350 employees at its operations.

Its Holloway and Holt complex is located close to the Quebec border and that province is home to many of its employees.  This has led SAS to make available a second $500 random prize to students of Quebec-based employees, who want to make a video. 

Though Quebec high school students are not eligible for the OMA’s SYTYKM competition, the company will accept entries, which meet the film contest’s criteria.  For SYTYKM, videos can be submitted in the language of the producer’s choice.  One of the prize categories is for the Best Video in a language other than English.

“We are a strong and enthusiastic supporter of this OMA initiative,” said Jacques Perron, President and Chief Executive Officer of SAS.  “We operate in great mining communities, so we recognize the importance of raising the level of awareness and educating our students today to create opportunities for the future.”

“We believe our employees and families are our best ambassadors,” he added.  “Our ability to leverage the OMA’s SYTYKM contest and spice it up with our own prizes is one more way we are able to promote the importance of the mining industry today and for future generations.”

SYTYKM is now in its fourth year.  This year, $33,500 in prize money is up grabs and there is a new category for short commercials.  The SYTYKM awards gala will be held June 5, 2012 at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.

SYTYKM is supported by comprehensive web-based resources and a blog.  Contest details, technical requirements for submitting videos, production ideas and past winners’ productions and award ceremonies are available on the OMA website www.oma.on.ca.

The OMA welcomes the creative support SAS is providing to SYTYKM through its incentive plan for the students of its employees – whether their home is in Ontario or Quebec.  Perhaps other OMA members will be willing to meet the corporate challenge put on the table by SAS?