Legos, lightsaber wars, talking chickens, and magic suitcases… these are not the usual tools for public safety messaging. However, for a group of students across North Central Washington, they were the perfect tools for helping educate communities on how they could protect themselves against coronavirus during Washington State’s Stay Home, Stay Healthy order as a part of the COVID-eo contest hosted by North Central Accountable Community of Health.
Launched in April 2020, the COVID-eo contest was a special opportunity for local youth to get involved in efforts to flatten the curve and help protect their communities. “At that point, we were still learning how COVID-19 and the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order was going to affect everyone, and we realized that there was an important opportunity to engage local students in raising awareness,” says NCACH Executive Assistant, Teresa Davis. Teresa, along with NCACH staffer Mariah Brown, helped conceptualize and launch the COVID-eo contest in partnership with Digital Media Northwest.
The COVID-eo contest asked K-12 students from across Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan Counties to submit original video content emphasizing at least one public health recommendation or COVID-19 safety tip from the Centers for Disease Control to help raise awareness and educate others.
Over 40 videos were submitted from across the four county region, and the submissions did not disappoint!
Results ranged from silly to serious, including tips to “dance the COVID away”, how to properly wash your hands, conversations with a talking chicken, and how to stay virtually connected while practicing social distancing. Following submissions, the community had the chance to vote on their favorites and select finalists.
Finalists were awarded in different age groups from each County, and were given prizes like laptops, wireless ear buds, and gift cards to local businesses. With generous sponsorship from partners Columbia Valley Community Health and Confluence Health, NCACH was able to offer prizes to all contestants.
Contest winners include:
| Grades | Chelan | Douglas | Grant | Okanogan |
| K-2 | No contestants in this age group | 1st– Avery & Carter Jessup
2nd – Alexa Lippert |
1st – Brody, Bonnie, & Blaire Jaeckel | 1st– Briar Young
2nd – Amanda Tomatich |
| 3 – 5 | 1st – Thurston Christensen
2nd – Oscar Green 3rd – Raeanna Dosch |
1st – Olivia Potthast | 1st – Erik Ethington
2nd – Valeria Navarro 3rd – Brooke Kleyn |
1st – Chisomo Wilson
2nd – Lydia, Eva, & Joanna 3rd – Xen Fardys; Bettie Wehmeyer |
| 6 – 8 | 1st – Quinten Christensen; Matias Soto
2nd – Faith Kert 3rd – Celia Kiesz
|
1st – Lelah Baysinger | 1st – Elle Schwartz | 1st – David Santiago; Rubi Serrano
|
| 9 -12 | 1st– Miranda Nayak
2nd – Ella Gebers; Isaac Colyar 3rd – Ava & Elliot Kiesz |
No contestants in this age group | 1st – Taylor Thomsen
2nd – Nikola Brzezny |
No contestants in this age group |
We congratulate all of our contest winners and thank every single participant who submitted an entry. Our community is that much safer because of you! A huge “thank-you” to all of our partners who made this possible, including Cascade Medical Center, North Central Educational Service District, Digital Media Northwest, and Eric Link with Wenatchee School District. A special thank you to Confluence Health and Columbia Valley Community Health for their generous sponsorship donations.
To learn more about the COVID-eo contest and to see all of the video submissions, please visit: https://woobox.com/9troqi
