AUGUSTA – Secretary of State Dan A. Gwadosky called attention this week to the upcoming Oct. 1 deadline for students and teachers to submit Public Service Announcements for Maine’s first-ever Youth Voting Media Project.

The initiative, which is part of the Secretary of State’s comprehensive Promote the Vote effort, encourages students in middle and high schools to develop, film and present 30-second PSAs about the importance of voting and civic participation.

The project also encourages learning in key areas of curriculum, including social studies, technology, language arts and journalism, as well as visual and performing arts. It is designed to be consistent with the goals and objectives of Maine’s Learning Results.

Each student participant will be recognized for taking part in the Youth Voting Media Project. A showcase of PSAs will be held in Augusta on Oct. 8. Selected PSAs will be made available to television stations for possible broadcast prior to the November general election.

“Maine’s Youth Voting Media Project presents a unique opportunity for students to think about our democracy and play a meaningful role in the electoral process. This initiative gives students a chance to speak their minds, to explore the issue of civic participation, and ultimately to urge more of their peers to register and vote,” Secretary Gwadosky commented.

The project has been developed in cooperation with TV3 in Portland. The station, which is part of the Portland Public School System, sought and received a grant for the project from the national Youth Vote Coalition and Carnegie Corporation. TV3 has made its facilities available for planning and development of the initiative.

Additional information about the project, along with curriculum and registration materials, is available online at www.maine.gov/sos/youth, or by calling the Secretary of State’s Office in Augusta at 626-8406.