The Ulster County Department of Health is asking teenagers to help shape the conversation about youth vaping through a new video contest.

The department’s first Youth Vaping Prevention Video Contest invites teens ages 13 to 18 to create videos of 30 seconds or less explaining what adults should understand about vaping and its potential health impacts.

The contest is funded through Ulster County’s settlement with Juul, the e-cigarette company.

Officials say the goal is to put young people at the center of the prevention effort, allowing them to speak directly to adults about what they may be missing or misunderstanding about youth vaping.

“Youth vaping has become a rising public health issue in recent years, one that we’re ready to extinguish, and we know the most powerful messengers are young people themselves,” said Eve Walter, Ulster County Public Health Director.

Walter said the contest gives teens an opportunity to tell adults what they need to understand and how they can better protect young people’s health.

Three winning submissions will each receive a mountain bike. All participants will receive a small reward for taking part.

The winning videos and other submissions will be featured on the Health Department’s Instagram and Facebook pages.

Entries are due Nov. 13.

Questions can be directed to Jackie Saldana, Public Health Education Assistant, at jsal@ulstercountyny.gov.