October is world Vegetarian Awareness Month, encouraging a new way of living that encompasses the spirit of "promoting the joy, compassion and life-enhancing possibilities of vegetarianism".

On World Vegetarian Day, October 1st, the NZ Vegetarian Society announced the category winners of their High School Video Competition. High school students from all across the country entered videos highlighting animal advocacy, nutrition and health, protecting the environment and vegetarian living.

During October anyone from around the country will be able to vote for their favourite of the four category winning videos, one of which will then become the Supreme winner, announced on 1 November, World Vegan Day. The prize for the Supreme spot will go to the winning students school - so its a great opportunity for the local community to show their support and get behind their local high school.

Students from Putaruru College won the Animal Advocacy category and the winning video for Protecting the Environment was taken out by a Pakuranga College student. Further down the country, Havelock North High School students claimed the prize for Nutrition and Health, while a talented Linfield College student won the category for Vegetarian Living. "Secondary school is a time for making decisions about whats important," says Julia Clements, NZ Vegetarian Society President. "We want to encourage students to be confident in their choices, and offer them support in making the transition to a vegetarian lifestyle." Plant-fueled athlete and competition spokesperson James Styler supports young people learning about their diet choices. "Creating and watching these videos will give young people more knowledge of where their food actually comes from," he says.

Colonial influences and a large agricultural sector have led to New Zealanders typically consuming a lot of meat. The NZ Vegetarian Society is encouraging Kiwis to choose meat-free options and aim to reduce the animal welfare and environmental impact that results from animal product consumption. It is widely noted that a vegetarian diet has many health benefits, including being lower in fat and high in complex carbohydrates and phytonutrients.

The video competition is a great chance for students to learn about healthy and ethical food choices and investigate the realities behind their diets. "When someone chooses to be vegetarian, you know theyre doing it to help animals and the planet so that makes them pretty cool," says competition entrant, 16 year-old Asher Soryl, from Hagley College in Christchurch.

The competition allows students to take ownership of their food choices and explore their creativity, while offering the chance to win $1000 worth of prizes for themselves and $1000 cash for their school if they are the Supreme winner. Prizes were sponsored by New Way, Quorn , South Seas Film & Television School, Fromnature.biz, Hardys Northland, The Cruelty Free Shop, Hell Pizza, and E.L.E.

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NZ Vegetarian Society celebrates Vegetarian Awareness Month