By: centraljersey.com
MILLBURN – The New Jersey Shout Down Drugs music competition is a drug prevention song writing contest looking for talented high school students to create original peer-to-peer substance abuse prevention songs. All entries must be received by Jan. 14. County finalists will be chosen by a panel of judges for a chance to win one of three music contracts at the annual statewide Prevention Concert, being held on May 5, 2011, at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark. The music contracts are valued at $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000.
Comcast, the program’s title sponsor since 2006, sends a camera crew each year to the Prevention Concert and edits the film into a one-hour special which is aired on Comcast’s On Demand Channel. A DVD of the 2010 concert and contest information was sent to every high school principal in New Jersey in October to share with their student community.
Last spring the program’s inaugural website, www.shoutdowndrugs.com, was unveiled in which viewers can access all contest forms, past concert photos and video clips, and even listen to the music of last year’s finalists. One of the features of the website provides the public a chance to listen to the entries and vote for their favorite songs. Last April, in a three week period, over 150,000 votes were cast. Votes can be cast starting Feb. 1.
The contest entry deadline is Jan. 14. For information visit www.shoutdowndrugs.com or call PDFNJ, at 973-467-2100, ext. 19.

