811 Student Safety Challenge

811 Student Safety Challenge Video Contest

Grades 7–12

About The Video Contest

Welcome to the 811 Student Safety Challenge Video Contest sponsored by Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and developed by the National Energy Foundation (NEF). The purpose of the video contest is to share and promote the Common Ground Alliance (CGA) Contact 811 message. It is designed to combine a student’s originality and artistic talent with their ability to share the important message: Safety is in your hands. Every dig. Every time.

Who Is This For?

Open to students (grades 7-12), the 811 Video Contest allows teens to demonstrate their creativity, technical skills, and public speaking abilities while raising awareness about underground utility safety. The goal is to create short, engaging videos (30 seconds to 2 minutes) that promote the “Contact 811 Before You Dig” message to a broader audience, especially their peers and families.

Prompts To Get You Started

  • Who wants to keep their Wi-Fi and their limbs? Contact 811 first.
  • What takes 2 minutes and saves you from going viral for all the wrong reasons? Contacting 811.
  • When is it appropriate to contact 811?
  • Where do underground utilities hide?
  • Why do we contact 811 before we dig?

Requirements For The Contest

Videos must be 30 seconds to 2 minutes in length and may include:

  • Interviews or skits with friends or family members
  • Animation, music, or special effects
  • Real-life scenarios or reenactments of digging examples
  • Educational content tailored for social media

Submit To Participate

  • Register your students at registration.nef1.org/program/1266.
  • Educate your students! Teacher lessons, safety tips, and more can be found at energysafeleaders.org
  • Submissions are judged on originality, message clarity and accuracy. Please do not incorporate copyrighted music, photos, images, etc.
  • Students who submit a video will receive an 811 tote bag.
  • Video entries must be submitted using JotForm by April 1, 2026.
Submit your video here

Awards For The Winners!

Grand prize package for the video contest

Prizes recognize top student videos with a standout grand award, multiple honorable mentions, and a teacher incentive.

  • One grand prize individual or individuals in a team of two will (each) receive a laptop computer (valued up to $1500)!
  • Eleven honorable mention winners will each receive a $81.10 gift card.
  • The teacher of the grand prize winner will receive an $811 educational award!

**Video entries permitted by schools in the United States only.**

Winners From Past Submissions