A real friend is one who walks in when the whole world walks out.
According to the Inspire USA Foundation and the Centers for Disease Control, many young people who experience hard times are ill-equipped to deal with these problems. To make matters worse, three-quarters of troubled youth do not seek help from mental health professionals, often because of social stigmas, cultural barriers, mistrust of the system, and apathy.
In conjunction with the Office of Student Life, the Inspire USA Foundation is hosting its first "Real to Reel" short film competition, and is currently accepting submissions from Buckeyes age 18-24, with the goal of promoting mental health for young adults.
"The short films should be upbeat public service announcements, 30 seconds to three minutes long, depicting in the student's own eyes how they overcame their own hard times," said Alison Sauers, patient care technician at Student Health Services.
Dr. John Vaughn, senior editor for health care multi-media communications at Student Health Services, says competitors do not have to be filmmakers. He said there is a plethora of resources available on campus to assist even the most novice of filmmakers.
"If there is a story to tell, then that is the most important thing and it will not be limited by a deficiency in technical skills," Vaughn said.
Reel Buckeye, a student organization dedicated to video production, is also offering a workshop on Jan. 28 in Hopkins Hall, Room 354.
The Grand Jury Prize is $1,000, first place is $500 and second place is $250. The winning short films will be incorporated into the Web site reachout.com and will be posted on the Web sites for the Office of Student Life, Counseling and Consulting Services, and the Student Wellness Center.
According to the Inspire USA Web site, the goal of the contest is to harness the power of the Internet to reach out to America's youth in a way that traditional mental health services cannot. "More and more of our lives are lived through the Internet, and this is especially true for young people … which is why we have made it our goal to meet them there," Vaughn said. "We are creating support networks via the Internet as yet another way for students to find help."
The Internet is also an ideal channel for help because it offers anonymity, Vaughn said.
"It might be embarrassing to ask a buddy to look at a certain rash, and sometimes the best method is anonymity," Vaughn said.
This avenue of "tech-based intervention," as Vaughn calls it, is a way to reach students when traditional treatment fails. Sauers said that when people are depressed, it can be inconvenient or embarrassing to travel to Student Heath Services. "Those that are Internet savvy will seek out these Web sites with short films that, in turn, will help them identify and connect with the people they see on these short films," Sauers said.
All short film entries must be submitted by Feb. 16 at the Wilce Student Health Center, Room 308-E.
Maurice Arisso can be reached at arisso.1@osu.edu.
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