Michael Kuroda’s “The Sixth Mass Extinction” won second place in the World of 7 Billion student video contest. He chose to connect population to the global challenge: “The world is in the midst of a sixth mass extinction.”

Michael’s video tells a story. Through a thoughtful narration and expertly created animation, the viewer is drawn into the world of the video and anxious to see what will be next. A yellow bulldozer levels trees and a city rises from the ground as the strain humans put on habitats is discussed. Panning to an underwater view of a lake full of marine life, a fish skeleton floats from the bottom of the screen to match the narrator’s warning: “Our industrialization is destroying animal habitats, driving some species to the absolute brink.” Oil wells and towers, factories and skyscrapers, all skillfully drawn and animated, appear as the sky turns dark because “we are in the precipice of the sixth mass extinction.”

Creating a video was a project in Michael’s Environmental Science class at Piedmont High School in Piedmont, CA, where he is a senior. After beginning to research background information on extinction, Michael and his co-producers were startled to learn how many species are affected by human actions. And while he did have experience making videos, this was Michael’s first fully produced film, complete with animation, music, and voiceover.

Want to see the other top videos on this topic?
First Place – “What Will Happen to Us” by Katherine Selley and Catherine Knox
Honorable Mention – “Sixth Mass Extinction” by Angel Nkwonta
Honorable Mention – “Time to Change” by Prerana Pai
Honorable Mention – “We Did This to Ourselves” by Elizabeth Hwang

Want to participate in a future contest?
Interested in staying informed about next year’s contest? Visit the contest website today and download our free lesson plan to guide you.