We hold a video contest every year to give students an opportunity to express themselves and win great prizes. This year, we’re giving away over $12,000—and we have prizes for teachers, too!

We have four topics to choose from, so students and teachers can find the subject that fits them best. And the contest features three divisions—Middle School, High School, and College—to give a wide range of students a chance to compete.

Our contest is open to students age 10-23 residing in North America, Hawaii, or at a U.S. military address.  The deadline to submit is 11:59PM Eastern on Friday, March 21, 2025. Students may submit their videos to us directly, or have them submitted by a teacher or parent.

Winners will be announced on May 30, 2025. For topics and complete rules, see below.

• The contest is open to students in grades 5-12 and college (ages 10-23) at some point during the contest period September 5, 2024-March 21, 2025.
• No more than one video submission will be accepted for each student.
• Students may enter both the essay and video contests. Students must be located in North America, Hawaii or at a U.S. military address, and all submissions should be in English.
• Employees of Stossel in the Classroom, Stossel TV, and Center for Independent Thought, or any person or organization involved in the operation and/or setup of the contest, and their immediate family members are not eligible for this contest.
• Previous winners of a Stossel in the Classroom first place prize are not eligible for prizes in our subsequent contests, unless they’re competing in a different division. For example, first place winners of the Middle School Division are eligible for prizes in the High School Division, provided they meet all other eligibility requirements.