pay more money because of higher prices in our economy. it would make our money even more worthless than it is now. >> minimum-wage job should be considered entry-level jobs. >> they shouldn't mandate higher wages, rather invest in programs that help workers advance to higher skills and higher-paying jobs. >> these actions would benefit our community because more people making more money would create more tax revenue for governments which would result in people being able to invest more and positive community changes. host: there you have it. the 2015 grand prize studentcam documentary by anna gilligan katie demos, and representative matsui. among -- and michael lozovoy. what was interesting to us when

we rejecting judging this is that you didn't just explore the point of use it you can to a conclusion and presented that to your viewers. i get the sense your point of view shifted over the course of doing this project. how did that happen? what was going on? katie: we started out thinking let's raise the minimum wage. it is a simple thing to do. you want them to make more one money. it seems like the obvious choice. then we looked at the con side. there was so much more evidence on the con side for why to raise the minimum wage. we look at the long-term effect. raising the minimum wage didn't seem to help the u.s. in the short-term effect, it would, but long-term is more important.

in the end, our conclusion was more the con side. host: did you get into a debate on this or was it apparent to all of you? michael i approached it from a neutral standpoint. -- michael: i approached it from a neutral standpoint. there is merit from both sides. i came at it from a neutral standpoint. i didn't make up my mind until we did research. it is all very political. people have lots of opinions. we try to find a conclusion that would make sense for both sides. what our conclusion essentially was that minimum-wage jobs should be considered entry-level jobs where you do a minimum-wage

job and the programs that the government will invest in will lift them out of the minimum-wage job and make them move up. we decided the government, we thought the government should invest in programs that help people move out and move up into higher-paying jobs. that ultimately would make things better. more people would be getting into their higher-paying jobs and people who do not have jobs the minimum-wage jobs are open. it would create a cycle that would benefit our economy. host: just to clarify, your position is the federal government shouldn't raise the minimum wage, but you are ok with -- anna: i haven't looked into that. we discussed -- i know in our

own community we are definitely thinking about raising the minimum wage. i personally -- that is not my point of view. i think we should consider the long-term effects and look at where that is going to put these workers. are these jobs worth that much money? how much are they making compared to how much money they are getting paid? host: is that the process you used to and -- and the process used to interview folks? anna: we used a program called jubilee jobs. is there a way we could interview some of them? hear their stories? what they wanted to have happen? michael: my mom works for a company called dress for

success. there were opportunities there. it was can be never us when we picked this topic. we have those options. host: how did you connect with the congressman? anna: my dad used to work with the congressman. we were able to coordinate the interview based on where he was on a certain day. host: what was it like doing the interview? anna: it was just me. my dad had the camera. he would get a little over the shoulder shot. michael: i had to work my way through editing that will stop -- that. anna: it was really relaxed. a lot like a conversation.

to hear his points of view. i could say, have you considered this? he would tell me what he thought about that. it was able -- interesting to be able to hear what he had to say. host: where were you when you got the video -- news this video had won the prize? >> we were in one of the rooms in our school and our principal and/or social studies teacher were there and when the phone came on when we heard that we were the grand prize winners, we were ecstatic. it was unbelievable. i cannot really put it into words how it felt to hear the words. first thing i did -- i cried. michael: i was kind of just like, ok.

[laughter] host: were you surprised you had made it all the way to the grand prize or did you know that it was really well done when you sent it in? michael: the time we put into making it -- we could get something. anna: you knew. he was very confident. katie and i -- we could go nowhere with this. michael was like guys, we worked really hard. there is definitely a possibility. i was like, i don't know, maybe. maybe next year. never sell yourself short. you don't know what you're capable of accomplishing. host: there are several different stages to being the winner. one is the recognition by the school. we bring the c-span folks down and live presentation. how was that? michael: that was pretty interesting. we were in our schools

multipurpose room and we were sat down on a stage. host: did the whole school come? katie: yes. everyone was there. once we got there, the principal took us up and she said a little blurb about each of us and then we were sat back down. teachers gave different speeches about us and the classroom. then the c-span people came and presented us with the award but i like to think of that ceremony as less as something for us as it was for everyone in our class let entered into the competition. michael: and the people who will in the future. katie: i felt like we weren't just recognizing our efforts, we are recognizing everyone's

efforts. michael: with that ceremony, it inspired -- i believe it inspired the seventh graders and below who will eventually do that competition. i think it inspired them to know that it is definitely possible. katie: it is an achievable goal. michael: when someone you know accomplishes something and you know that somebody from your school did that, i think it gives hope to other people that they can achieve the same goal. it is not like some 12 greater -- greater in a high school with a bunch of money and capabilities to do that and

connections. with us, it was just normal people from the school who worked really hard and produced something with the same opportunities that people at our school have. host: another part of coming to washington. what else are you doing on your winning trip here? anna: i came a day early because i love washington, d.c. it is a wonderful place. where learning about everything that has gone on here in the past. i get to see the white house and the lincoln memorial. one of my favorite parts was arlington national cemetery. the changing of the guard. it was amazing. the