Congratulations to the three students selected as the winners of the 2024 AASM High School Video Contest! This year’s contest focused on helping teens understand why sleep is important to their success either in school, health, safety, sports, relationships, or another area. Contestants were asked to focus on one aspect of a teens’ life. Along with a balanced diet and regular exercise, sleep is one of the pillars of a healthy lifestyle. Getting the sleep that your body needs is essential for your health, well-being and mood.

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that teens between 13 and 18 years of age should sleep 8 to 10 hours per night on a regular basis to promote optimal health. However, CDC data show that 73% of U.S. high school students report sleeping fewer than 8 hours on an average school night.

Given the prevalence of chronic sleep deprivation among students, it’s crucial to grasp its adverse effects on physical and mental well-being, academic and athletic achievements, as well as mood. These videos effectively enlighten teenagers on the importance of sleep!

The annual contest is open to high school students in the U.S. who have permission from a parent or guardian and approval from a sponsoring teacher at their school. More than 70 videos were submitted from students across the U.S. Each entry was evaluated for its originality and video quality, as well as the appropriateness, relevance, and accuracy of its message.

Selection of Winner(s):

  • The winner of the Most Creative category was chosen by a panel of judges (experts, including AASM creative staff, Chris Hodge and Greg Padgett (Department of Fine Arts, Naperville Central High School), Hyder Abadin (Aperture Videography LLC) and Linda Livorsi (Concept One Media) based upon originality, accuracy, and quality of the video.
  • The winner of the Most Informative category was chosen by a panel of judges (AASM member sleep medicine experts) based upon accuracy, relevance, appropriateness, and execution of the theme.
  • The winner of the Most Popular category was chosen through social media engagement within the month following close of the contest.
  • Each winner will receive $750; the teacher associated with the entry will win a $100 gift card.

Winners

Most Creative
Flora Yuan, 9th grade
Krista Andrew Fischer, teacher
Westlake High school
Westlake Village, California

Most Informative
Shreya Balaji, 12th grade
Cheryl Abreu, teacher
Coppell High School
Coppell, Texas

Most Popular
Wilfred Shipley, 9th grade
Robin Morriss, teacher
Winston Churchill High School
San Antonio, Texas

The following students received honorable mention as the runner up in each of the three categories:

Most Creative – Honorable Mention
John Exterkamp

Most Informative – Honorable Mention
Flora Yuan

Most Popular – Honorable Mention
Santiago Wingrove

About the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Established in 1975, the AASM advances sleep care and enhances sleep health to improve lives. The AASM has a combined membership of 12,000 accredited sleep centers and individuals, including physicians, scientists and other health care professionals who care for patients with sleep disorders. As the leader in the sleep field, the AASM sets standards and promotes excellence in sleep medicine health care, education, and research (aasm.org).