NEWBERRY COUNTY — The Newberry County Coalition on Underage Drinking is sponsoring its inaugural Song for Life contest in which county high school can students compete to write a song that best exemplifies a celebration of life without drugs or alcohol.
A $50 gift certificate to Walmart will go to the winner who will be determined by a panel of judges from Newberry College.
“Hopefully professors or music majors,” said Tom Perry, a member of the coalition.
The contest, open to all high school students in Newberry County — including Newberry Academy and those who are home-schooled — will place greater importance on lyrical content than technical ability or the quality of the recording.
The deadline to submit a recorded song, which should be original and have no obscene content, is March 4.
“It’s just the originality, it doesn’t have to be a wonderful orchestration or anything. If someone does it acappella, that’s fine too,” Perry said.
The contest is all part of an effort get students interested in forming youth coalitions at the high school level to promote healthy life choices.
“We don’t expect the usage level will ever drop to zero, we just want them to think before making bad choices,” Perry said. “Who better to send that message than their peers.”
Newberry County Career Center marketing instructor Jolene Smith said the groups will work to change the youth-perspective on recreational drugs and alcohol.
“A lot of them think it’s cool to do it because their friends do and we’re trying to show the effects of it, which are not so cool,” Smith said.
The winner’s song as well as the top two runners-up will be played on WKDK-AM and the students will have the opportunity to record their very own PSAs to be broadcast as well.
Above the Influence currently sponsors a national song contest which Perry encourages local participants to also take part in.
“It’s one in 20,000 but if you are not entering it’s a guarantee you’re not going to win,” Perry said.
Email jolenesmith@newberry.k12.sc.us for more information.