The New Jersey Department of Human Services (NJDHS) invites pre-teens and teens across the state to participate in its Thirteenth Annual Teen Media Contest sponsored by the Division of Family Development, focusing on parental responsibility.

The statewide contest is open to New Jersey middle school and high school students. For more details on the rules of the contest, click here.

The theme of this year’s contest is: Depict how your parent(s) has supported or is supporting your dreams.  Student hand-drawn submissions, should illustrate a time when a parent(s) has supported one of their dreams. For example, helping them practice their soccer moves for the big game, sitting in the front row of their dance recital or helping them study for a big exam.

An emphasis must be placed on the idea that while they may not live together under one roof – both parents are responsible for enriching the life and securing the future of their child. The DHS intends to use winning student entries to promote this public awareness campaign aimed at New Jersey’s non-custodial parents.

Evaluation Criteria & Judging
Members of the New Jersey Department of Human Services with representatives from various other organizations and/or corporations in the State will serve as judges for the Teen Media Contest in April 2008.

Judging of artwork will be based on the following criteria (in no specific order).
    • Theme Depiction
    • Overall Appearance
    • Originality
    • Design & Execution

Prizes
The following prizes will be awarded to three students in each category. For example, there will be a first, second and third place winner chosen from middle school grades and a first, second and third place winner from high school grades. A special awards presentation will take place in May 2008.

First Place	$300 Savings Bond
Second Place	$200 Savings Bond
Third Place	$100 Savings Bond

In addition, the winning artwork will be featured in the New Jersey Office of Child Support Services 2009 calendar.