The Partnership at Drugfree.org, GRAMMY Foundation® and MusiCares® Announce 2013 Teens Make Music Contest

NEW YORK, Sept. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today marks the launch of the fourth annual GRAMMY Foundation^® and MusiCares^® Teens Make Music Contest. Announced by The Partnership at Drugfree.org, along with the GRAMMY Foundation and MusiCares — the two nonprofit organizations of The Recording Academy^® — the contest asks young musicians, ages 14–18, to compose or create an original song and/or music video that explores, encourages and celebrates a healthy lifestyle or accurately depicts a story about drug abuse.

"We are thrilled to continue our collaboration with the GRAMMY Foundation and MusiCares as part of this unique opportunity for youth to express their creativity," said Steve Pasierb, President of The Partnership at Drugfree.org. "The contest was originally launched by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and today we continue to recognize talented individuals while helping transform public perceptions of stigma and misunderstandings about addiction into powerful messages of hope, help and recovery."

"We've been a proud participant in this contest for the past four years," said Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the GRAMMY Foundation, MusiCares and The Recording Academy. "This alliance between the GRAMMY Foundation, MusiCares and The Partnership at Drugfree.org provides a valuable opportunity for teens to tell their stories about the ravages of substance abuse, and the benefits of a healthy lifestyle."

The first-place winner will receive a $500 cash award and two tickets to the 56th Annual GRAMMY Awards^® at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Calif. on Sunday, Jan. 26, 2014. The second-place winner will receive $250; and the third-place winner will receive $100 courtesy of the Visions Adolescent Treatment Center in Malibu, Calif. All winners will be invited to attend the GRAMMY Awards Backstage Experience, a special backstage tour that takes place while artists rehearse for the live GRAMMY Awards. They will also join a guided tour of The Village Recording Studio, and have their musical entries posted on www.grammyfoundation.org, www.musicares.org and the Vans Warped Tour website. In addition, prizes include iPads with the GarageBand app and an opportunity to release a record with Clarity Way, a drug and alcohol rehab facility in Hanover, Pa. A certificate from the GRAMMY Foundation and MusiCares will be given to all winners acknowledging their role in the dissemination of health information about substance abuse. The Partnership at Drugfree.org will provide technical expertise in the judging process, with points given for an accurate depiction of the subject matter.

Original music compositions or compositions with accompanying videos must be sent to GRAMMY Foundation/MusiCares postmarked no later than Monday, Dec. 2, 2013. Entries must be no more than four minutes long. For more information, please visit www.drugfree.org/teensmakemusiccontest.

Entry address:

Teens Make Music Contest
GRAMMY Foundation/MusiCares
3030 Olympic Boulevard
Santa Monica, CA 90404
Attn: Erica Krusen

*All proceeds from Iron Ridge Road Recordings will be donated to MusiCares.

About The Partnership at Drugfree.org
Ninety percent of addictions start in the teenage years. The Partnership at Drugfree.org is dedicated to solving the problem of teen substance abuse. Together with experts in science, parenting and communications, the nonprofit translates research on teen behavior, addiction and treatment into useful and effective resources for both individuals and communities. Working toward a vision where all young people will be able to live their lives free of drug and alcohol abuse, The Partnership at Drugfree.org works with parents and other influencers to help them prevent and get help for drug and alcohol abuse by teens and young adults. The organization depends on donations from individuals, corporations, foundations and the public sector and is thankful to SAG-AFTRA and the advertising and media industries for their ongoing generosity.

About The GRAMMY Foundation
The GRAMMY Foundation^® was established in 1989 to cultivate the understanding, appreciation and advancement of the contribution of recorded music to American culture. The Foundation accomplishes this mission through programs and activities that engage the music industry and cultural community as well as the general public. The Foundation works in partnership year-round with its founder, The Recording Academy^®, to bring national attention to important issues such as the value and impact of music and arts education and the urgency of preserving our rich cultural heritage. In recognition of the significant role of teachers in shaping their students' musical experiences, the GRAMMY Foundation and The Recording Academy are partnering to present our first Music Educator Award. Open to current U.S. music teachers in K through college, the Music Educator Award will be given out during GRAMMY Week 2014. For more information about our music education programs, please visit www.grammyintheschools.com. For breaking news and exclusive content, please like "GRAMMY in the Schools^®" on Facebook at www.facebook.com/grammyintheschools, follow the GRAMMY Foundation on Twitter @GRAMMYFdn at www.twitter.com/GRAMMYFdn and join us on Instagram @GRAMMYFdn.

About MusiCares.
Established in 1989 by The Recording Academy, MusiCares provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need. MusiCares' services and resources cover a wide range of financial, medical and personal emergencies, and each case is treated with integrity and confidentiality. MusiCares also focuses the resources and attention of the music industry on human service issues that directly impact the health and welfare of the music community. For more information, please visit www.musicares.org. For breaking news and exclusive content, please like "MusiCares" on Facebook at www.facebook.com/musicares, follow MusiCares on Twitter @MusiCares at www.twitter.com/musicares, and join us on Instagram at www.instagram.com/musicares.

SOURCE The Partnership at Drugfree.org