The CDC challenged the public to create videos in order to promote healthy swimming and help prevent recreational water illnesses.

Winners announced (view all dates)

Win $1,000 and have your video seen by thousands of people while helping to improve swimmer health! Contrary to popular belief, chlorine does not kill all germs instantly. Each summer, thousands of Americans get sick with recreational water illness (RWIs) after they go swimming. RWIs are illnesses caused by germs found in places where we swim. There are simple steps people can take to help prevent the spread of germs that cause RWIs, but we need your help to spread the word.

To help us educate swimmers, CDC's Healthy Swimming Program is asking the public to make a short, creative video that promotes the simple steps everyone can take to ensure a healthy and RWI-free swimming experience.

The video will also help direct people to CDC's Healthy Swimming Website where they can find additional details and resources on healthy swimming behaviors.

Your video could be a rap, sketch, dance, slide show, or anything you want it to be, as long as it includes our four key healthy swimming messages and appeals to a broad audience. The top videos will be posted on CDC's YouTube Channel for public vote. The first-place winner will receive $1,000, courtesy of the CDC Foundation. The winning video will also be featured on CDC's Healthy Swimming Website and CDC's YouTube Channel for thousands to see.

The deadline for submission is July 4th, 2011. The contest takes just a few simple steps, so start making your video today!

Guidelines

1. The Video must be 60 seconds or less in length.
2. Videos containing profane language, violence, sexually explicit content, or personal attacks on people or organizations will not be considered.
3. Videos containing material that is obscene, hateful, offensive, or slanderous will not be considered.
4. Videos containing material that promotes bigotry, racism, hatred, or harm against any group or individual or promotes discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation, or age will not be considered.
5. The Video must not have visual or verbal mention of any websites other than CDC's Healthy Swimming website.
6. The Video must be original content created for this contest. Do not submit a video that has been submitted elsewhere or previously displayed publicly through any means.
7. The Video must be submitted on this page (click on the 'Post a Submission' tab at the top of this page) and comply with challenge.gov's terms.
8. All submissions must include the following four (4) CDC Healthy Swimming Messages:
1. Protect yourself and other swimmers from recreational water illness (RWIs)—illnesses caused by germs that are found in places where we swim.
2. Chlorine does not kill all germs instantly.     
3. Never swim when you have diarrhea.                                                  *This helps prevent germs not easily killed by chlorine from getting into the water.                                         
4. When swimming, keep water out of your mouth.                                  *Germs in the water can make you sick if you swallow them.

The Video must also direct people to www.cdc.gov/healthyswimming for more information.

*Statements with an asterisk in front of them do not need to be said on camera, but may be included if you think they will be helpful for the audience to understand the messages. 

To help you plan, check out the following resources from CDC's Healthy Swimming Website. Feel free to include additional information from these resources in your video.

• Healthy Swimming Brochure
• Recreational Water Illnesses
• The Triple A's of Healthy Swimming

1) Read and agree to the Rules (see Rules tab above).

2) Sign-up on Challenge.gov for a free account. Click on the “Post a Submission” tab (below) to submit your entry.