The county’s Department of Health and Human Services and Gandhi Brigade Youth Media are sponsoring a contest for middle and high school students who create a video public service announcement.

The purpose of the video is to support the campaign by BTheOne.org to raise awareness about teen suicide prevention.

The contest, open to county students only, asks students to produce a 30-second PSA based on the themes and information found on the BTheOne website. Some of the themes student can consider include, among others:

Why suicide is a public health concern

Warning signs of suicidal thoughts or mental health problems

How to ask someone if you are worried about their mental health

How to keep them safe

How parents can talk to and help their kids, and

How to be an ambassador for BTheOne.

Four winning videos will be selected to be shown in area theaters, and possibly on YouTube and the BThe One website. Winners will “embody the spirit of the BTheOne website: educational, energetic, and empowering,” according to the contest announcement.

Complete contest rules and information, including technical requirements and the entry form, are available online. Entries are due by Jan. 16, 2019.

Students with questions, or who would like help with making a PSA, can contact [email protected].

The BThe One campaign is a cooperative effort from EveryMind, Family Services Inc.,Montgomery County Public Schools, the Collaboration Council for Children, Youth and Families, and DHHS.