Kids Video Comp

Calling all Reef RADicals!

Ahoy ocean lovers! Do you have a big idea to help protect the Great Barrier Reef? Are you a salty sea scholar, a trending ‘Tuber, or an aspiring Attenborough?

Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef and James Cook University have joined forces to find our next generation of passionate and inspiring Reef RADicals. If you’re a school kid in Years 1 to 8 we want you to brainstorm your biggest idea, action or solution for the Great Barrier Reef and share it with us in a 90 second video!

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Prizes include a GoPro Hero 8 action camera, 3 × Virtual Reef Dives for classrooms, and 10 × Junior Citizens sustainability packs. The winning idea will also be featured on our Citizens Atlas, alongside some of the best projects on the Great Barrier Reef!

Molly Steer, founder of Straw No More project and Reef RADicals Ambassador
I hope to inspire kids and show them that even the smallest idea can have a really big impact for the Reef!
Molly Steer, founder of the Straw No More project and Reef RADicals Ambassador!

How to enter

  1. Pick a challenge – there are five important topics to choose from
  2. Get inspired – we've created a range of insightful videos alongside some useful links to help get you started
  3. Brainstorm your solution – whether you want to rap about the reef, make art from plastic waste or compost your school canteen’s leftovers - it’s time to get creative! Ask your friends, a parent or teacher to help out
  4. Film a 90 second video – introduce yourself and tell us about your big idea! Hint: for some top tips and award-winning advice check out the videos below
  5. Submit your entry – you’ll need a parent or guardian to fill out the entry form. Hint: Check out the FAQs for answers to all your niggling questions

Reef RADicals is a partnership between

James Cook University Australia | Celebrating 50 years 1970 - 2020

#1 Pick a challenge

We’ve come up with 5 key challenges facing the Great Barrier Reef. We want you to come up with an inspiring idea or action to tackle ONE of these challenges, and tell us about it in a 90 sec video!

  • Marine pollution: Pollution like plastic and chemicals are really bad for coral reefs and animals like turtles and sea birds
  • Climate change: Climate change is the biggest threat to the Great Barrier Reef, heating the ocean, impacting marine life and causing coral bleaching
  • Habitat loss: Reef animals like turtles, dugongs and baby fish depend on seagrass and mangroves to survive, but these habitats are decreasing
  • Food waste: Food waste creates harmful carbon emissions that heat the planet and oceans
  • Ideas that activate! One of the biggest challenges the Reef faces is that many people think it’s already dead or that they are too small to make a difference!

#2 Get inspired!

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To get you started on your journey, we've pulled together a selection of thought-provoking and idea-filled films from our Reef RADical experts. Plus, don't forget to check out our carefully-curated link library for even more inspiration!

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Small ideas, BIG impact!

with Molly Steer
Straw No More founder & Reef RADicals Ambassador

Reef RADicals competition Ambassador Molly Steer is proof that small ideas can have a really big impact for the Reef. As the founder of the Straw No More project, Molly grew her idea to get rid of plastic straws in her school to a global campaign with over 1 million people signed up!

Discover: Molly’s Straw No More Project

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Shooting videos like a pro

with Richard Fitzpatrick
Marine biologist and award-winning filmmaker, Biopixel

Based at JCU, Emmy-Award winning filmmaker and founder of Biopixel Richard Fitzpatrick has made wildlife documentaries for the BBC, National Geographic and the Discovery Channel, so it’s safe to say he knows his stuff! Check out his top tips to shoot like a pro!

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Ideas that inspire

with Professor Stewart Lockie
Director, The Cairns Institute and Distinguished Professor, JCU

and Malli Lockie
Student and idea-ologist

Have an idea to help the Great Barrier Reef but not sure how to bring it to life? Professor Lockie and his daughter Malli share their top 5 tips for turning your good idea into an inspiring idea!

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Why do so many venomous animals live on the Reef?

with Professor Jamie Seymour
Toxinologist, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine at JCU

From box jellyfish to cone snails, Professor Seymour has a burning question - why are there so many venomous critters on the Great Barrier Reef? Learn about how he approaches his research.

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Mapping Reef-health with drones

with Dr Karen Joyce
Geospatial scientist, Remote Sensing and Spatial Sciences at JCU

The Great Barrier Reef is enormous and getting detailed information on individual reefs is a big challenge! Learn about how Dr Joyce uses drones and technology to map coral cover in places where conventional maps don’t provide enough detail.

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All drains lead to the Reef!

with Dr HanShe Lim
Lecturer, Hydrology at JCU

and Dr Kevin (Tao) Huang
Lecturer, Electronic Systems and IoT Engineering at JCU

Marine pollution is a big challenge on the Great Barrier Reef from plastics to nutrient runoff, with urban drains carrying pollution to the sea. In conjunction with Cairns Regional Council, Dr Huang and Dr Lim show you how they measure the impact of urbanisation on the water quality of Saltwater Creek in Cairns.

Play the game: Take Mobi's Catchment Challenge

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Protecting the Reef (and the planet) with seagrass

with Abbi Scott
Seagrass ecologist, TropWATER at JCU

Seagrass is one of the most important habitats on the Reef, but they’re in decline from things like coastal development and climate change. Marine biologist Abbi wants to learn as much as she can about seagrass meadows, so they’re protected and can sustain the animals that like to eat them like turtles and dugongs!

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Using technology to protect the Reef

with Dr Eric Wang
Researcher and lecturer, Electronic Systems and IoT Engineering at JCU

What is the Internet of Things (IoT)? And how can it be used to protect the Great Barrier Reef? Dr Wang explains how he uses the IoT to help improve the water quality coming from agricultural land, a process called Smart Irrigation.

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Better understanding our marine animals

with Jennie Gilbert
Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre Founder & JCU Researcher

Learn about Jennie’s work rescuing and rehabilitating sea turtles at Cairns Turtle Rehabilitation Centre, as well as her ongoing research with JCU satellite tagging and tracking turtles to learn more about their movements.

Find out more: Cairns Turtle Rehab
Or track a turtle: Reef Tracks marine life tracker

Welcome to the Link Library

We've picked out a stirring selection of links from across the interwebs, for entrants and your parents and guardians. Find your topic and get clicking!

Submit your RADical idea!

Once you’re ready to submit your video, your parent or guardian will need to fill out this entry form. Entries close midnight Sunday August 9th, so don’t miss out!

1. The video entry

Paste a link to a YouTube video You can upload 'unlisted' videos to YouTube that can only be seen by those with the link., or share a link from a service like Google Drive, Dropbox, or Firefox Send. Videos should be a maximum of 90 seconds. Having trouble? Reach out to us at [email protected].

2. The entrant’s details

3. The parent or guardian’s details

By submitting an entry to the Reef RADicals competition you, the parent or guardian, are agreeing to the Competition Terms and Conditions. Please also see our website Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Your privacy is very important to us. We will only use personal information you provide for purposes relating directly to the Reef RADicals competition. Your video may be used by Citizens of the Great Barrier Reef and our competition partners for the promotion of the competition, including on our website and on social media.

The competition fineprint

Have questions? We've tried to cover most things below (also in the Competition Terms and Conditions). For anything else please reach out to us at [email protected].

Assessment criteria

  1. Content: Clearness and effectiveness of the video entry in communicating the issue, inspiring action and offering creative solutions that could benefit the Great Barrier Reef and its inhabitants
  2. Innovation, originality and impact: Telling your story in a fresh and entertaining way, appealling to a broad and diverse audience and encouraging further thought and action
  3. Technical expertise: Quality of camera and audio work, effectiveness of editing and strength of script

Prizes

  • 1 × Go Pro Hero 8 action camera with underwater housing
  • 3 × ‘Virtual Reef Dives’ for school classrooms, hosted by GBRMPA’s Reef HQ Aquarium in Townsville
  • 10 × Junior Citizens sustainability packs including a tote bag, reusable straw, recycling tips magnet, paper stickers and reusable water bottle
  • The winning idea will be featured online on our Citizens Atlas alongside some of the best projects on the Great Barrier Reef
  • All entries will be included in our wrap video which will be shared across our social media channels

Frequently asked questions

  • Is there an entry fee?
    No! Reef RADicals is free to enter.
  • What if my short film is over 90 seconds long?
    Start editing! Judges will not consider entries longer than 90 seconds, so it’s important that you stick to the time limit.
  • Can my friends and I enter with a single video?
    Yes. Everyone included in the entry should be in Years 1 to 8, but you'll need to share the prize! A parent or guardian will need to complete the entry form on behalf of the group.
  • Can I enter more than once.
    Unfortunately not. Please choose your favourite idea and enter it.
  • Can I get feedback on my entry?
    Unfortunately judges cannot provide individual feedback.
  • I don’t live in Australia. Can I enter the competition?
    Yes! The Great Barrier Reef is a globally significant natural icon and the challenges it faces are relevant to ecosystems across the planet. We'd love to hear your ideas.
  • When does the competition close?
    Entries must be received before midnight on Sunday, 9 August 2020.
  • How will winners be notified?
    Winners will be contacted via the contact details provided in the online entry form (prior to a public announcement across our social media channels on Tuesday 1 September 2020). Parents or guardians should ensure that any contact information provided is their own, as we will not communicate directly with children.
  • Can a parent or guardian submit more than one entry?
    Yes. While a child may only enter once, a parent or guardian may submit entries on behalf of any number of children.