For the second year in a row, middle and high school students in Montgomery County could win up to $1,000 by creating videos focused on the dangers of drug use for the “Speak Up, Save a Life” Student Video PSA Contest sponsored by the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The contest was created in 2023 in an effort to raise “awareness about the dangers of drug use,” according to the state’s attorney’s office. It is open to any student in middle or high school living in the county and the public service announcement videos must focus on the dangers of using drugs, opioids and fentanyl. The deadline for submissions is Nov. 8.
The first-place winner will receive $1,000, with second place receiving $750 and the winners of third place and the fan favorite contest each receiving $500. Students who attend Montgomery County Public Schools can earn 10 student service learning hours by participating; all Maryland students are required to earn a total of 75 hours by graduation.
The competition is sponsored by Magnolia Cos., a Washington, D.C. area plumbing, heating and cooling company, in honor of Matthew Loudon and Michael Pisarra, two young county residents who died of overdoses in 2020. According to the Maryland Department of Health, a total of 1,934 overdose deaths occurred in the state, including 92 in the county, from September 2023 to August 2024.
Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy said in a statement his office was overwhelmed by the number of entries for the inaugural event last year. Nearly 300 entries were submitted, according to spokesperson Lauren DeMarco.
Three students from Watkins Mill High School in Montgomery Village won the contest for their video, Dangers of Fentanyl – Forever 16, last year. After winning, the students told MoCo360 the overdose of their friend’s brother impacted them deeply and they wanted to spread awareness about the dangers of drug use. One student from Northwood High School in Silver Spring and another from Thomas W. Pyle Middle School in Bethesda won second and third place, respectively.
McCarthy said the competition helps encourage students to talk about the dangers of opioid and fentanyl misuse.
“It’s a powerful [complement] to what we are trying to do — save lives and keep our kids safe,” he said.
