Students Recognized for Civics-related Documentaries
C-SPAN’S 15th Annual StudentCam Video Competition
Des Moines, IA – June 5, 2019 – Mediacom Communications and C-SPAN recently held special high school assemblies in Urbandale, IA, and Springfield, MO, to congratulate high school students who earned top national awards for video documentaries the students created as entries in C-SPAN’s 15th Annual StudentCam competition.
Urbandale High School seniors Jacob Sammon, Matthew Moran, and Riley Vander Hart earned a first-place ranking for creating a documentary titled “Fighting for a Better Tomorrow.” Urbandale’s city mayor and top school officials joined Mediacom to present the students with a first-place commendation and a monetary prize of $3,000 from C-SPAN.
The 2019 StudentCam documentary competition, open to students in grades 7-12, addressed the question, “What does it mean to be American?” Students were asked to evaluate a constitutional right, national characteristic, or historic event and explain how it defines the American experience. Participants presented their views by creating short video documentaries, five to seven minutes in length. Students worked in teams or individually.
"Mediacom is proud to partner with C-SPAN on its annual documentary competition, StudentCam," said Steve Purcell, Group Vice President for Area Operations. "The students were challenged to think about our democracy and to creatively portray different views on what it means to be American. We were delighted to see young leaders from Urbandale High School define the American experience through their short video, and we congratulate them for earning a first-place award.”
Jacob, Matthew, and Riley were among the 340 students from across the country who created 150 award-winning videos and earned a total of $100,000 in prize money. In Springfield, MO., Glendale High School juniors Michelle Lewis and Sara Snelson created a documentary that judges recognized with an Honorable Mention award. In both communities, Mediacom is the leading broadband internet provider and an active partner in promoting C-SPAN’s StudentCam competition and other forms of civic engagement.
C-SPAN is a public service created and supported by the American cable television industry, including Mediacom. The public affairs networks operate commercial-free without government tax dollars, and Mediacom provides its video subscribers with access to all three C-SPAN networks.
Contact:
Emily Frimml, Public Relations Specialist, Mediacom
About Mediacom Communications
Mediacom Communications Corporation is the 5th largest cable operator in the United States and the leading gigabit broadband provider to smaller markets primarily in the Midwest and Southeast. Through its fiber-rich network, Mediacom offers high-speed data, video, phone, and mobile services to over 3 million households and businesses across 22 states. The company delivers scalable broadband solutions to commercial and public-sector customers of all sizes through Mediacom Business and sells advertising and production services under the OnMedia brand. More information about Mediacom is available at mediacomcable.com.