A.R.R.O.W. Field House

Vote Now!: Parks RECYouth Students are Finalists in UNICEF’s Worldwide Contest

In honor of the fifth anniversary of its Special Session for Children, UNICEF asked youth around the globe to create a one-minute video to express how young people think about the world they live in and how they are making a difference. Students from Parks RECYouth program at A.R.R.O.W. Recreation Center in Astoria, Queens were selected from over 100 young people to be one of ten finalists in the Media Magic "Make a Difference" contest.

All of the entries examined the four priorities of the session’s adopted agenda "Building a World Fit for Children." The priorities included promoting healthy lives, providing quality education, protecting children against abuse, exploitation and violence, and combating HIV/AIDS. The 15- and 16-year-old RECYouth students from A.R.R.O.W. Recreation Center worked together to create Healthy vs. Junkie, a one-minute public service announcement about healthy eating.

The ten finalists from countries around the world—including Hungary, India, Peru and others—are currently posted on UNICEF’s website (www.unicef.org/voy/takeaction/takeaction_3733.html). Through May 14, 2007, the public can vote on their favorite video. The public vote will be added as one complete vote in addition to the judges’ selections. Videos will be reviewed by a global panel of media professionals. The winning video will be made available for broadcast around the world on The International Children’s Day of Broadcasting, vodcast by UNICEF, featured on the UNICEF and Voices of Youth websites and honored at the PROMAX/BDA Conference in New York.

NYC youth (ages 6 - 19) that participate in the RECYouth program learn the skills necessary to become digital filmmakers, musicians and storytellers. RECYouth offers free, citywide, year-round programming, based in Parks & Recreation’s Computer Resource Centers. Parks offers both after-school and teen programs in which students are trained in digital video and audio production through hands-on, pre-employment technology and arts instruction. Every week, more than 200 young people participate in RECYouth programming throughout New York City.

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