Commissioner of Education Angélica Infante-Green | Rhode Island Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
The Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) has extended the deadline for the 2025 Attendance Matters RI Student Video Contest to December 31, 2025. Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green announced the extension, encouraging public high school students across Rhode Island to participate by creating videos that highlight the importance of regular school attendance.
“Consistent school attendance is the foundation of academic success, and we’re inviting students to help us amplify that message across the Ocean State,” said Commissioner Angélica Infante-Green. “Young people know best how to connect with their peers and inspire them to show up every day. Through our Attendance Matters RI campaign, we’re calling on students from across Rhode Island to use their creativity, share their voices, and compete for exciting prizes.”
The contest asks students to submit a video between 30 seconds and three minutes in length. Videos should identify a target audience—such as students, families, or educators—and may include testimonials, dramatizations, animations, or other creative formats. Each submission must define chronic absenteeism as missing 10% of school days (about two days per month or 18 total in a year) and feature the phrase: “Attendance Matters, Rhode Island.” Resources for participants are available at www.AttendanceMattersRI.org/resources.
Winning videos will be displayed on www.AttendanceMattersRI.org, shared on social media platforms, and featured at events aimed at reducing chronic absenteeism statewide. Winners will receive prizes provided by Hunt’s Photo and Video.
Eligibility is limited to high school students enrolled in Rhode Island public schools. Participants must submit a signed consent form from RIDE via email; after receipt, RIDE will send a secure link for video uploads.
All entries must be received by December 31, 2025 at 11:59 p.m., with late submissions not accepted. A panel chosen by RIDE will judge entries based on clarity of message, creativity, and compliance with contest guidelines.
Prizes include:
- First Place: A five-piece video production kit with Canon camera, microphone, and tripod.
- Second Place: A professional photography bundle featuring a Nikon camera and mount adapter.
- Third Place: A vlogging kit with camera.
Winners will be announced in winter. There will also be a People’s Choice award determined through public voting at a later date; this winner receives a $250 gift card to Hunt’s Photo and Video.
The Attendance Matters RI campaign is credited with helping reduce chronic absenteeism in Rhode Island by 12% since the pandemic peak. In the 2024-2025 school year alone, chronic absenteeism fell by about 2.6 percentage points—from 24.7% in the previous year to 22.1%—resulting in approximately 142,360 fewer absences compared to last year.
SurveyWorks data indicates increased awareness among families and educators about how absences affect student outcomes but less so among students themselves. Recent survey results show only 30% of students in grades six through twelve believe missing eighteen days impacts graduation chances significantly—a view held by higher percentages of families (58%), educators (68%), and administrators (84%).
Further information about contest rules can be found at attendancemattersri.org/videocontest.
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