FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 24, 2008
1:27 PM

CONTACT: Nuclear Age Peace Foundation
Steven Crandell, 805 965-3443, scrandell@napf.org

SANTA BARBARA, CA - July 24 -Teenager Erik Choquette wrote and created a remarkable animated video to claim the $1,000 first prize in the 2008 Swackhamer Disarmament Video Contest.

The top three videos can be viewed on line at http://www.wagingpeace.org/contest_winners.php .

“I’m incredibly uncomfortable living with the fact that there are almost 27,000 nuclear weapons in the world,” he said when he received his first place check. “We have used these [nuclear weapons] on people. I want to help make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Erik, 16, is going into his junior year at Santa Barbara High School. Starting this autumn, he will be the Director and Editor of the SBHS News Bulletin – a 15 minute weekly newscast of school events. He said the prize money would go into a savings fund for his first car – he plans to get his drivers’ license soon.

“Erik’s video is a powerful and creative expression by a concerned young person,” says Nuclear Age Peace Foundation President David Krieger. “It sends a message to other young people – as well as older people – that US leadership is essential as we work towards a world free of nuclear weapons.”

Second prize, and $750, went to the animated video, "Wooden Bombs" by Drew Madson of Minnetonka, Minnesota. Third prize, and $250, was awarded to "Testing" by Sagesse Graham of Seattle, Washington.

All videos had to be three minutes or less. The topic for the contest was: "There are about 27,000 nuclear weapons in the world today. Use your creativity to make a short video about why US leadership is necessary to achieve a world free of nuclear weapons."

This year’s Swackhamer Disarmament Video Contest was a first for the Foundation. The Swackhamer was an essay competition in past years.

The video contest will be held annually. There will be an announcement about the next contest in March 2009.