The BestMed We’ve Got The Power Challenge tasked pupils across the country to make a video during September promoting a healthy lifestyle by showcasing their school’s unique character.
Pupils could choose between five popular songs by Jeremy Loops as their video’s soundtrack to help them creatively demonstrate how healthy living makes for a better life at their school. Requirements included incorporating choreography and dance moves that were fun, energetic, healthy and happy and represented the school’s unique vibe.
The Robbies got a group of pupils and staff members together and started planning their video. They decided to use “Trip Fox” and worked out a storyline to show the different activities at the school.
Their video starts off with a girl who does not live a healthy life and is then inspired by her friends to start eating healthy and to exercise. She then tries playing various sports and goes to gym until she is just as fit as her friends and loves being healthy.
The video also features the “Monkey Dance”, a choreographed fun dance that gained popularity at the school over the past few months.
The video was shot on one day during break and into the afternoon and the cast said they had a very interested audience. “Some people look at the video and then go, ‘Hey, I’m in there as well. See, there in the back,’ and then point to somewhere far in the background,” a cast member joked.
They had many takes and laughed a lot during the shoot. The scene where the main character had to take a big bite out of broccoli and smile was one of the more challenging ones, as she didn’t like it and struggled to keep a straight face.
Videos had to be submitted before September 30 and 17 entries from schools around the country were received.
Hoërskool Waterkloof and Paul Roos Gymnasium, as well as fellow Mpumalanga schools, Uplands Prep and Acorns to Oaks High participated.
The panel of judges consisted of 15 BestMed employees and Jeremy Loops and his team. They were most impressed by the effort that was put into producing the videos. “It is no easy feat to create a storyline from scratch and these schools exceeded our expectations by far,” one remarked.
To choose the winners, judges looked at participation from pupils and teachers, the school’s ability to showcase its uniqueness and if they could succeed in illustrating how healthy living made for a better school life.
The Robbies impressed the judges with their unique concept and storyline and the message that you could succeed if you keep on trying.
Their entry won third place and were awarded a certificate, trophy and R5 000 cash. A number of pupils especially came to school on Monday (in their holidays), dressed in uniform, to receive the prize. They were handed a trophy and certificate by Michael Clemente, the regional manager of Celsum Financial Services, who represents BestMed locally.
The top two schools were Milnerton Primary School in first place, winning R20 000 and a Jeremy Loops concert at their school, and Curro Heuwelkruin in second place, winning R10 000 cash.
All the entries can be viewed here.
Check out the two local entries:
The challenge will be held again next year and BestMed is excited to roll it out on a much bigger scale.
They are in the process of choosing a proudly South African artist and plan to launch the competition towards the end of March to give schools ample time to register, create and submit their videos.
Linel le Roux, who coordinated the Robbies video would like to thank everyone who was a part of it, especially main character Christelle Bezuidenhout for her enthusiasm, ideas and great acting.
The photoshoot on Monday was great fun:
