With the start of 2011, ACE issued a challenge: share your new year’s DOT with the world via. video + you could win $150 for your inspiring efforts.

We received several excellent entries and we’re excited to announce our first place winner, Gian Regacho of Illinois, with more than 80 ‘likes’ of his video on Facebook. Congrats Gian! You can watch his awesome stop motion video below.

By Giancarlo Regacho, ACE Rock a Resolution contest winner

Here is my winning video of my new year’s resolution – it’s in stop motion style:

Stop motion is a really awesome video style that I am experimenting with. What inspired me to do this is that I wanted to do something more unique than just a plain old video of myself. I got the idea from watching a lot of stop motion videos on YouTube about cartoons and people, and I wanted to make some too. Stop motion is also visually appealing and I think that the message of the film could stick in people’s minds more as a result of its style.

When doing stop motion, I thought of things that could be improved and done by other people to make a better community. Teens (or others!) shouldn’t leave their computers turned on just because they have the money to pay for the bill, or not want to wait for it to start up again.

I hope that the message conveyed on the film will stick in others minds and serve as an example of how to make a difference in your community. I hope others will do the same and lead their friends, family, or the community to change the world. To me, it takes one person to make a difference in the world.

Giancarlo is a Senior at Niles North High School. After high school, he plans to attend University of Illinois at Chicago majoring in Physical Therapy and might minor in Music. He’s the first to go to college in the U.S. in his family. He’s a very active member of plethora of extra curricular activities that he’s been involved in and hold positions to some of them. Clubs like WHO (We Help Others) Club, a volunteer service club, Filipino Club, a place to learn about the Filipino Culture, language and its people, hang out, have fun. He’s also a member of Student Government, Recycling Club, Choir, Orchestra, and many others. Along with maintaining good grades and being active in school, he has responsibilities at home such as cooking, cleaning, and/or buying groceries that he juggles with school. Gian is described as loyal, friendly, nice, and sometimes “super” by his friends. He loves hanging out with his brother and friends. He also loves to sing, dance, and play his violin and guitar.