Are you a high school student who is interested in science and cinematography? Are you interested in competing for a chance at a $250,000 college scholarship, a $50,000 prize for your teacher, and an installation of a brand new science lab at your school? This might sound like an opportunity too good to be true, but it’s a real competition you can apply to starting in April.
The Breakthrough Junior Challenge, hosted by the board of the legendary Breakthrough Prize, is an invitation to high school students to communicate a scientific topic of their choosing through the medium of video. The challenge is completely free to enter, which means there is plenty of competition. In 2023, the Junior Breakthrough Challenge amassed a total of over 2,500 participants. However, there are some caveats associated with the rules: your video may only be up to 2 minutes, you must be the sole creator of the video, and you must be 13-18 in age. Additionally, you will only be notified of any news regarding your submission if you are among the top 30 finishers.
The extensive judging process is key in rooting out the contestants, starting with the Peer Evaluation stage. After the application due date, which is usually June 25th, you must evaluate the videos of at least 5 other contestants, rating them on a scale of 0-5 in 4 different categories (engagement, illumination, creativity, and difficulty). The top 75 videos will then advance to be judged by the Evaluation Panel, consisting of PhD students, professors, high school teachers, and scientists. Finally, the top 30 contestants will be verified by the Selection Committee, which is composed of some of today’s most esteemed scientists and public figures. In September, the Popular Vote commences, and the remaining videos will be judged by public viewers. Depending on the number of likes and comments, the popular vote scorer will be able to bypass the Selection Committee and move right to the final round. Regional winners are also selected through this process, representing one of 7 zones globally.
Personally, I have competed in the challenge this past summer, and found it to be a very valuable experience. I was able to learn the basics of Adobe After Effects, as well as improve on my cinematography skills. The topic I chose to base my video on was holography, a phenomenon involving the interference of light. However, the topics can be as broad as quantum theory or as specific as Hamiltonian functions. As long as your topic fits within the boundaries of the three categories (Life Sciences, Physics, and Mathematics), you should be completely fine.
If you’re interested in competing next year, you may want to follow the challenge’s website, which includes information on the application and judging process as well as previous winning submissions and interviews. If you have some time and would be willing to express your interests in art and science, I would highly recommend applying as it is a wonderful extracurricular that builds character and interests, even if you don’t win.
