FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PBS NORTH CAROLINA ANNOUNCES NC NATURE BREAK CONTEST WINNERS

Video Contest Winners Will Be Featured on PBS NC and Digital Platforms

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, NC, 7/7/2022 — PBS North Carolina, in partnership with the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources, announces the winners of its first statewide NC Nature Break Contest. Launched this past April on Earth Day, the contest aimed to bring awareness to the North Carolina Parks and Trails for Health (NC PATH) program, a new initiative designed to encourage physical activity in North Carolina’s parks, greenways and outdoor spaces. 

The user-generated video contest ran through May 31 and was open to all North Carolinians. Participants were asked to submit a 1-minute video capturing the natural beauty of North Carolina for a chance to win up to $3,000 in cash and have their video featured on PBS NC’s main broadcast channel and secondary channels.  

The contest generated an astounding 596 entries from across the state and celebrated the incredible natural diversity of North Carolina. Judged by a panel of PBS North Carolina producers, the station is proud to award the following six entries for their incredible footage and storytelling. 

• Grand Prize – “Barred Owl,” Mike Dunn from Cary, NC
• Second Place – “OBX Sunrise on the Beach,” Lenny Schmitz, Dare County, NC
• Third Place – “Gold Finch,” Sujata Roy, Morrisville, NC
• Honorable Mention – “Linville Gorge,” David McKenzie, Linville, NC
• Honorable Mention – “Bears Crossing Creek,” Nancy Arehart, Raleigh, NC
• Honorable Mention – “Mountain Clouds,” Mark Womack, Sylva, NC

To learn more about the NC Nature Break Contest, the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and the NC PATH initiative, and to view the winning entries, visit pbsnc.org/nature-contest.

About N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources 

The N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources oversees the state’s resources for the arts, history, libraries and nature. We’re home to the state’s 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, two science museums, three aquariums and Jennette's Pier, 39 state parks and recreation areas, the N.C. Zoo, the N.C. Symphony, the State Library, the State Archives, the N.C. Arts Council, State Preservation Office, Office of State Archaeology, the African American Heritage Commission, and the Office of Land and Water Stewardship. 

About PBS North Carolina  

As North Carolina’s statewide PBS network serving the country’s third-largest public media market, PBS NC educates, informs, entertains and inspires its statewide audience on-air, online and in-person. Through its unique partnership of public investment and private support, the statewide network includes in-person engagement, digital-first social and online content delivery, and four over-the-air channels—PBS NC, the North Carolina Channel, Rootle 24/7 PBS Kids and the Explorer Channel. Its transformational events and content spark curiosity and wonder for all North Carolinians. Additionally, PBS NC serves as the backbone for North Carolina’s state’s emergency services. Visit pbsnc.org and join the conversation at facebook.com/MyPBSNC and @MyPBSNC on Instagram and Twitter.  

-PBS NC- 

Media Contacts: 
Kathleen Kramer, PBS North Carolina Marketing & Communications 
kkramer@pbsnc.org 
919-549-7059