River Reels Video Contest
River Reels: Trash Talk Video Contest
Presented by Community First Credit Union
Help protect our river by putting an end to trash and litter! Enter our Fall 2025 student video contest for your chance to win $500.
The St. Johns River is so important to Jacksonville and who we are as a city.
Unfortunately, trash and litter often pollute our river and endanger the wildlife that call it home.
But, you can do something about it! Create a short (one minute or less) video that raises awareness about the impacts of trash and the importance of reducing waste, disposing of it properly, and protecting our river and local waterways!
All Duval County Middle and High School students are invited to enter the contest, between now and October 31, 2025.
Getting Started
Read the Rules & Guidelines
Make sure you qualify and understand the requirements.
Research
Learn about the impacts of trash on our waterways and wildlife and how to prevent litter.
Decide on your target audience and theme
What information and message do you want to get across? Is your video intended for the general public or a certain age group?
Plan your video
You may want to create a storyboard, so you can plan how you want to tell your story. Consider music, locations, props, camera angles, on-screen text, graphics, and actors you may need.
Shoot, Edit, and Submit
Make sure your video is sharable and your registration form is complete, including the form for your parent/guardian if you are under 18 years of age.
Sponsored By
Why Does it Matter?
Trash and litter negatively impact our community in so many ways.
Litter degrades our neighborhoods, harms our health, decreases property values, discourages tourism, and destroys our city’s natural beauty and sense of pride.
Littering also causes significant harm to the environment.
Litter pollutes our St. Johns River. It entangles, suffocates or poisons fish and wildlife.
As some litter degrades, it can release harmful chemicals and microplastics that contaminate the water or soil. Some trash can even spread pathogens and diseases.
Even though a lot of trash is discarded on the land, it often makes its way into our waterways. Trash can get picked up by the wind or wash into streams and storm drains that discharge into the St. Johns River or its tributaries.
The good news is that you can help protect the St. Johns River and put an end to the litter problem in Jacksonville!
Make a video – 60 seconds or less – that raises awareness about the impacts of trash on our river and wildlife and motivates others not to litter. Enter today for your chance to win $500!
Enter the Contest
Make sure you have the names and emails of all participants; the names, emails and phone numbers of each participant’s parent or guardian; and the video link on YouTube or Vimeo before you fill out the submission form.