Calling All Hawai’i High School Student Creators: Share Your Voice in the YXC 2026 Video Competition!
The State of Hawai’i Department of Health is thrilled to announce the Youth Xchange (YXC) 2026 Video Competition, in partnership with ‘Ōlelo.
We are calling on high school students across Hawai’i to get creative and share authentic, powerful messages. This is your chance to produce meaningful content that raises awareness, inspires positive change, and highlights the many ways you and your peers stay drug-free and connected to your communities.
This year’s competition is broken down into three exciting categories.
1. PSA Category: Overdose Awareness (Opioids, Fentanyl & Naloxone)
Fentanyl is taking lives in our communities, but we have life-saving tools like naloxone. The more people who know about it, the more lives we can protect.
- The Challenge: Create a 30-60 second PSA about preventing opioid overdoses.
- What to Include: Your video should show naloxone, explain how to use it, and highlight the danger of fentanyl.
- The Goal: We’re looking for PSAs that are creative, powerful, accurate, local, and hopeful. This is about more than just saying “don’t do drugs”; it’s about sharing the truth, understanding why people use, and providing support to save lives.
2. PSA Category: Meth Awareness
Meth, or “ice,” continues to harm the health, relationships, and futures of people in Hawai’i. Your voice can spark change, inspire hope, and help support safer communities.
- The Challenge: Create a 30-60 second PSA about the dangers of meth.
- What to Include: Show the healthy choices and positive actions you and your peers take instead of using drugs.
- The Goal: Keep your message creative, accurate, and hopeful, ensuring it is rooted in our local culture. Highlight “protective factors” like positive peer support, safe activities, and healthy coping strategies that help peers make safer choices.
3. PSA Category: Grounded in Aloha (How You Stay Drug-Free)
A 30–60 second PSA about what keeps you grounded—showing the people, places, and passions that support a healthy and drug-free life in Hawaiʻi.
Grounded-in-Aloha-Flyer-OleloImportant Details for All Entries
Your story and your voice matter. This is a powerful opportunity to make a difference.
Please follow the guidelines listed on ‘Ōlelo.
Key Rule: Please be aware that participants must not use the Department of Health (DOH) logo in any content submitted for any category.
Get Featured: Winning videos and honorable mentions from each category will be featured across multiple platforms and will receive prizes.
For more information on the competition, please contact: