Spot the manipulation
Expose promises of easy cash, status or “no consequences” as recruitment tactics.
2027 Viral Social Media Contest
Expose
the trap.
Use your creativity to show other students how gangs and organized crime recruit teens—and how to shut it down safely and anonymously.
Entries closeFEB 152027
Win one offive cash rewardsPrizes paid by e-transfer
Top 2 videos each win$500
Top 3 images each win$300
The challenge
They promise
easy cash.
You expose
the lie.
Gangs and organized crime in York Region are actively recruiting and manipulating teens with talk of easy money—and the lie that you’re “too young to get in trouble.”
It’s a trap. They use young people as disposable muscle to take the biggest risks while they sit back and stay safe. The symposium breaks down the hype, reveals the real consequences and gives students the tools to spot the manipulation before it costs them their future.
Create a short video, reel or graphic that exposes these lies. Show your peers how to avoid recruitment and how to report criminal activity through Crime Stoppers completely anonymously—without being identified, without appearing in court and without fear of being labelled a snitch.
Before you create
Rules &
mandatory
elements
Entries missing any mandatory element may not be eligible for judging. Review this checklist before submitting.
Deadline
All entries must be submitted by Monday, February 15, 2027.
Eligibility
Students must be actively enrolled at a YRDSB or YRCSB high school.
Entry limit
Each student may submit a maximum of three entries.
Individual or group entries
Students may enter individually or as a group. If a group wins, its members will divide the prize money.
Use of AI
Artificial intelligence is permitted. Students do not need to disclose the use of AI in their submissions.
Accepted formats
Entries may be submitted as an image or a video.
Image specifications
Images must be 1080 × 1350 pixels—the standard Instagram portrait-post format—and submitted as a PNG or JPG.
Video specifications
Videos may be no longer than two minutes.
Required logos
Every entry must include both the Crime Stoppers and Say It Here logos.
Required topic
Every entry must educate peers about recognizing and avoiding recruitment by organized crime or gangs.
Required call to action
Every entry must explain how to report crime completely anonymously through Crime Stoppers.
Release waiver
Every submission must be accompanied by a completed release waiver.
Teacher submission
Entries must be submitted by a teacher or school designate. Students must not upload their entries directly.
Required file naming
Make your entry easy to identify.
Save each entry using this exact naming structure:
School Name — Teacher Name — Student/Class NameCardinal Carter CHS - Ms. Jane Doe - Liam Smith.PNG
For teachers and school designates
Download.
Prepare.
Submit.
Download the required logos and release waiver first. When entries are complete, use the upload destination for your school board.
VIP early accessClass-project teachers hear first.
Teachers who implement the contest as a class project will be added to the VIP list and notified about next year’s symposium before the mass distribution list is contacted.
Help students get it right
Crime Stoppers
facts.
Crime Stoppers is a nonprofit organization and is separate from the police.
You never provide your name. You never have to identify yourself or testify in court.
Submit a tip by phone at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online through P3 Tips.
If the information helps solve a case, the tipster may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $2,000.
Creative inspiration
2026 image winners
Take inspiration from last year’s winning visual entries—but make this year’s message unmistakably your own.
Winners announced live
February 24, 2027
Contest winners will be recognized on stage during the Student Symposium at the NewRoads Performing Arts Centre in Newmarket.