SAN DIEGO–Broadway/San Diego is seeking submissions from San Diego county students in grades 5 through grade 12 for the 2017 Wellness Through the Arts Student Essay/Video contest.

The top 5 individual submissions will each win $500. The Top School Group Video Project will win $1,000 for their school program. Winning submissions may be incorporated into a live musical production on stage at the Ben Vereen Awards on May 28 at the Balboa Theatre in downtown San Diego.

“We are pleased to now include more grade levels into this year’s competition,” said stage and screen legend Ben Vereen, “I’ve seen what raw talent and incredible young minds we have in our community and I look forward to seeing even more of these stories unfold at the competition in May”.

Who is Eligible to Participate?

Category 1: Individual Essay Projects: All currently enrolled San Diego County students, Grade 5 through Grade 12 are eligible to enter. Submit either a written essay (maximum 2 pages); or a video essay using your Smartphone, or digital video camera (maximum 2 minutes). The Top 5 Winning Essays will win $500 each.

Category 2: School Group Video Projects: These collaborative group projects should be inspired by the key topics of obesity, diabetes, low self-esteem, bullying, economic problems, family problems, or other social issues. They must be sponsored by a teacher at the submitting school. The sponsoring teacher should serve as advisor, director, or producer as needed on the project, but students are encouraged to take creative control. Students are encouraged to incorporate music, dance, theatre and artistic video editing into the project. Students can submit their entry as a YouTube video link (maximum 5 minutes). The Top 1 School Group Video Project will win $1,000 for their program.

The Ben Vereen Awards is a San Diego high school musical theatre competition in which twenty nominated San Diego County High School Students will compete for Best Actor and Best Actress and the top two winners will be sent for an all-expenses-paid trip to the National High School Musical Theatre Awards in New York this June.

More information is available at www.BenVereenAwards.com.