NEWS RELEASE: Season seven SYTYKM offers more money, more prize categories and more support for schools

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.

Season seven of the Ontario Mining Association’s high school video competition So You Think You Know Mining has officially been opened. Entries are now being accepted on line. This year’s competition offers more money, more prize categories and more support for schools.

The prize money available has been increased to $42,500. A new category – Best Cinematography – is also being offered. This new award will recognize the most effective use of the camera by a contestant. Think camera angles, cuts and lighting. In addition, this year to offer more support to educators, $500 will be provided to the schools of each winning entry.

“Video equipment and video production software comes with a cost,” said OMA President Chris Hodgson. “We wanted to find a way to offer more assistance to schools and their audio-visual, communications technology and visual arts classes. We hope this new $500 school prize bonus will encourage and support educators involved in SYTYKM.”

SYTYKM is supported by comprehensive web-based resources and a social media network that includes Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Pinterest. Contest details, video upload instructions, production ideas and past winning entries are all available on the OMA website at http://www.oma.on.ca.

Now that we are accepting entries, key dates going forward include February 2, 2015 as the deadline for Early Bird entries, March 30, 2015 as the deadline to receive all entries and the seventh SYTYKM awards ceremony is set for May 27, 2015 at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto.

The OMA seeks feedback from students, educators, judges, sponsors and others involved in SYTYKM in order to keep making it better. We would love to hear what you think. Please post your comments on the SYTYKM blog, or write to us directly.

Our SYTYKM judging panel has seen quite a few videos that show essential items disappearing from our lives if specific minerals were no longer available without mining. The judges would like to see students take a more journalistic approach. Let’s see some mini-documentaries. They will be looking for attention-grabbing, thought-provoking, innovative films on themes such as the environment, safety, community development, high tech products and energy solutions.

From a modest start in October 2008, the SYTYKM competition has grown to attract a large number of solid and creative entries from across the province. We look forward to receiving more exciting and imaginative video productions by March 30, 2015. Best wishes to all contestants. We will see some of you walking down the red carpet at the ROM on Tuesday, May 27, 2015 to accept your Oscar-style trophy — and cheques for you and your school.