Organ and Tissue Donation Awareness (OTDA) Challenge February 2025

The Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 in conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) is announcing an Innovations Challenge which is a statewide competition that challenges teams of students in 9th through 12th grade to use their problem-solving, creative, and strategic-thinking abilities to solve real-world lifesaving challenges. Winners will be selected by members of the Organ Donation Advisory Committee (ODAC). 

Your Challenge: Create a Public Service Announcement (PSA). 

Your Message: Parents never want to be in the position to decide whether to donate your organs. Make it easy on your parents. Explain why being an organ donor is crucial and why you are going to designate yourself.

Your Award: The statewide winning team will be awarded $3,000.  The winning team members will receive certificates as well as their school receiving a traveling trophy and permanent trophy engraved with the school's name. The team will also be invited to attend the Annual OTDA Spring Conference in State College in May 2025.

Project & Submission Guidelines

·       Students must work together in teams (minimum of two up to a maximum of four individuals) to develop their innovative video that addresses the challenge of convincing peers and/or adults to become organ and tissue donors.

·       All videos must be written, directed, and filmed by team members. 

·       The video is to be between 30 and 90 seconds in length. 

·       The submissions will be reviewed by select ODAC members, and the top three teams will be invited to present their video to a team of judges from the PDE.  

The challenge is open to Pennsylvania high school freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors in public, private or charter schools. Note: PDE employees and their family members (siblings, children, grandchildren, nieces, and nephews) are ineligible to enter.  Statewide judging events may be held in person or virtually. 

Deadline

Submissions must be received by Lancaster-Lebanon Intermediate Unit 13 by 11:59 PM April 18, 2024.