C-SPAN StudentCam Documentary Competition

StudentCam is C-SPAN's annual national video documentary competition for students in grades 6-12, awarding $100,000 in cash prizes to the top 150 entries each year. The grand prize is $5,000, with first prizes of $3,000, second prizes of $1,500, third prizes of $750, and $250 honorable mentions. High school entries are judged regionally (East, Central, West), so freshmen, sophomores, and juniors compete on equal footing with seniors.

Students create a 5-6 minute documentary on the announced annual theme, incorporating C-SPAN footage and exploring multiple viewpoints. Entries may be individual or in teams of two or three, with prizes split evenly. A teacher adviser is optional.

The competition launches each August and entries are due in late January; the most recent deadline was January 20. Winners are announced in March.