DFW Students Win C-Span Competition Tackling Obesity and Health

This year marks the 20th Anniversary of C-Span’s ‘StudentCam’ Competition where the network empowers the voice of the next generation through documentary storytelling.

“In recognition of the 20th anniversary of C-SPAN’s StudentCam competition, this year we asked students to either look 20 years into the future or to reflect on a topic of importance to them and its past,” said Craig McAndrew, director of C-SPAN Education Relations. The theme, “Looking Forward while Considering the Past,” received over 1,600 entries from 42 states and Washington, D.C.

DFW represented very well as four groups of students from Ben Barber Innovation Academy in Mansfield took home prizes, along with a group of students from Imagine International Academy of North Texas.

Midday personality Jazzi Black got a chance to speak with winners Bright Evbie, Addisyn Richard and Kamron Brown, 10th graders at Ben Barber Innovation Academy. They won third prize and $750 for the documentary, “What is Wrong with Our Food?” about obesity and health.

WATCH “WHAT IS WRONG WITH OUR FOOD?”

According to a statement released by C-Span, over the course of two decades, over 63,000 students and 20,000 teachers have participated in the StudentCam competition. C-SPAN has also awarded over $1.5 million in prizes!

Learn about all our DFW C-Span StudentCam winners, and watch their short documentaries below!

Ben Barber Innovation Academy in Mansfield, TX

Drew Lindsey and John Wells, 11^th graders at Ben Barber Innovation Academy, won second prize and $1,500 for the video, “The Greatest Competitor,” about U.S.-China relations.
Stanley Knight, Thomas Kariuki and Paige Fassett, 12^th graders at Ben Barber Innovation Academy, won honorable mention and $250 for the documentary, “What is Entrepreneurship?”
Claire Kline, Rachel Fornero and Naomi Spence, 11^th graders at Ben Barber Innovation Academy, won honorable mention and $250 for the documentary, “Fostering Change in America,” about the foster care system.

Imagine International Academy of North Texas in McKinney, TX

Anahita Poongundran, Ruchi Gali and Yazhini Arunprakash, 11^th graders who won honorable mention and $250 for the documentary “Crossroads of Compassion: Balancing American Aid to Ukraine.”