Calling all Mercy students to share the stories of the Sisters of Mercy’s Critical Concerns. Put those creative ideas and skills to work. The Grand Prize Winner will receive $500!
To receive information, updates and reminders about this year’s contest, complete this form and we’ll be in touch. Click here to learn rules for entry and how to upload your video.
Who Can Enter
Any and all students, high school age or older, who attend Mercy high schools, colleges/universities, or who are involved in a Mercy-affiliated ministry.
Purpose
Use the medium of video to explore one or more of Mercy’s Critical Concerns. As you consider the topic of your video, we encourage you to reflect on events of the past year, including:
- What racial inequities have been made clearer to society at large since the killing of George Floyd? In the suffering of the pandemic?
- How are we practicing nonviolence as we practice social distancing?
- How are more intense natural disasters, a consequence of climate change, affecting the lives of vulnerable people?
- What does it mean to be an immigrant or a refugee in a time of escalating violence, border walls and denied asylum?
- How has your understanding of one or more of the Critical Concerns deepened in light of the pandemic? How have you been able to respond?
While we encourage you to explore these timely topics, all videos that address a topic affiliated with the Critical Concerns are eligible for consideration.
Format Requirements
Length: under 5 minutes
Language: English or Spanish
Videos must include:
1. A Title Screen
2. A Credit Screen
Credits must include the name of those involved in the creation of the video. It must also include citations for any images, audio, or text used in the video that is not original. The time used for the title and the credits does not count against the 5-minute video length limit. For example, if the title screen is 5-second-long and the credits are 15 seconds long, the total video length can be 5 minutes and 20 seconds.
Entrants are strongly encouraged to use original footage as much as possible.
New this year: In order to honor copyright protections, rules regarding use of images and music have been updated for the 2022 contest. See the complete rules for details.
We’ve created a tip-sheet to help you as you begin the process of creating your video.
Deadline
All entries must be received by April 1, 2022.
Prizes
A panel of judges will use this criteria to select the winning video. Individual winners will receive financial awards. Grand Prize Winner receives $500.
Winning entries may be featured on the Sisters of Mercy Institute web site. Winners and their winning institution will be formally announced.
Interested?
If you think you might be interested in entering this contest, fill out this form.
Previous Winners
2021
Tristen Hasson, Melanie McGill, & Sydney Pasceri
“Women Make Mercy Real”
Gwynedd Mercy Academy High School
Gwynedd Valley, Pennsylvania
2020
The 2020 contest was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2019
Grace Wettengel, Morgan Lee, Michelle Delgado & Nina Bennett
Injustices in India’s Villages
College of St. Mary
Omaha, Nebraska
2018
Alyssa Dela Cruz
Make Mercy Real
Academy of Our Lady of Guam
Hagatna, Guam
2017
Kenzie Uhr
Change the Narrative
Mount St. Mary Catholic High School
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma USA