The next Steven Spielberg or Sofia Coppola might be sitting in a seventh grade classroom today, dreaming up ways to put their visions on screen. With that in mind, we have opened up our annual student video contest to middle school grades for the first time.

Since the first World of 7 Billion contest was launched in 2010, it has been open only to students in grades 9-12. Now students in grades 6-8 will have a chance to win cash awards for showing the connections between population pressures and one of this year’s categories – deforestation, water scarcity and public health. Middle school teachers have been advocating to include their students in the event for several years, knowing that, though young, their students are full of creative ideas and a strong interest in visual media. This year’s topics are addressed in many middle school geography and life science courses, making it an ideal classroom assignment (any teacher submitting 10 or more student videos receives a set of classroom materials!)

There are six opportunities for middle schoolers to win – first and second place prizes ($500 and $250) in each of the three topic categories. The submission deadline is February 25, 2016.  For more information, check out the full contest guidelines, read up on background information on each of the topics, look over the judging rubric, or watch past winning videos.