“Where are you from?” Summer Video Contest 

This year’s summer reading, Hey, Kiddo, tells the story of the author, Jarrett Krosoczka, as he grows up in Western Massachusetts, living with his grandparents. The graphic novel invites readers to consider the notion of home and family and to answer questions about what it means to be from a particular place. We invite you to participate in a contest that engages further with these themes.

We invite your submissions of short video clips that answer the broad question, “Where are you from?” The Orientation staff will select the top 10 clips that are submitted and include them in a portion of the Orientation program.

Please pay attention to the following criteria

  1. You must answer the question “Where are you from?” You can do this in whatever ways you'd like (e.g. Show footage of your home, neighborhood, communities, places of worship, family members, for example.) Other questions to consider are: Where are your parents/grandparents from? What are the most interesting aspects of your life at home? What will you miss most? What will you NOT miss?

  2. You must not use foul, profane, or offensive language.

  3. You must be willing to let your footage be shown to the entire campus.

  4. Your video must be no longer than 90 seconds (30-45 seconds is the ideal).

  5. Bonus points for levels of humor, creativity and/or making explicit connections to their summer reading, Hey, Kiddo by Jarrett Krosoczka.

Submission

Submit your video by uploading it to this Google drive folder.

Deadline

Upload your video to this Google File by 8 a.m. Monday, July 29. If chosen, you will be notified in advance of your arrival to campus.

Please note

We understand that you might not feel comfortable making a video and sharing it, but that you may still want to participate in the contest. 

If this is the case, you can submit an essay by the same deadline, using no more than 500 words, answering the question “Where are you from?”