Pleasanton Teacher A Finalist in Worldwide Video Challenge

Fill in the blank: "Democracy is ______." That was Nicole Dalesio's task when she entered the Democracy Video Challenge, an international online contest sponsored in part by YouTube and the U.S. government.

Her video,  "Democracy is a Child," has recently earned her a place as one of three finalists in the contest's Western Hemisphere region.

"I see it as a way to remind people that children are our most precious resource, that they're the future, and that we need to invest in them and prioritize children," says Dalesio, a Pleasanton mom and Fairlands Elementary School teacher.

The competition will reward six winners--one from each of the contest's world regions-  with an all-expenses-paid trip to Hollywood, New York, and Washington D.C, where they will meet with influential filmmakers and democracy advocates .

Dalesio entered the Democracy Video Challenge to share her message about children and education.

"The whole point of it is to promote discussion about democracy and what that is," she said.

Since children can't vote, Dalesio said, "It's important that the rest of us remember that they are dependent upon us for protection of their rights."

Dalesio acquired her video skills through free professional development classes offered to Bay Area teachers, and believes that digital media can provide a multisensory experience to support different learning styles.

A finalist for three previous online video contests, Dalesio shoots her footage around town with her digital camera. She also helps her third-grade students put together their own video projects.

"I find that when they're in the computer lab and they're completely engaged in what they're doing, it's something that they enjoy as well, and it motivates them a lot more," she said.

Dalesio's own inspiration comes from her students, and from her two children, ages six and three. She also credits travel and her college participation in the Association Internationale des Étudiants en Sciences Économiques et Commerciales, a global education organization, with shaping her as a teacher and idealist.

"I don't know if you'd call it cultural sensitivity, or just having a broader perspective on the world, but I think it has really helped me a lot, and also made me appreciate what's good here in Pleasanton," Dalesio explains.

The Democracy Video Challenge's sponsors include democracy and youth organizations, entertainment corporations, and academic institutions.

The final winners will be chosen by popular vote on YouTube. Users can sign in to cast a vote for their favorite video until midnight GMT on June 15.

"I just see it as a way to make a greater impact as an educator," Dalesio said. "It sounds kind of cliché or something, but I want to help the world. I see it as a way to help other people."