GMA Weekend Intern Challenge

Aug. 4, 2007 — -- After a long summer of hard work, and a tough competition, the judges have chosen a winner for the first ever "Good Morning America Intern Challenge." And the winners are Lindsay Lindenbaum, Washington University in St. Louis, Trisha Cox, Indiana University, and Kristen Kucks, University of Hartford.

Millions of college kids across the country are spending their summer days toiling away at jobs for free. They're called internships.

This summer, "Good Morning America Weekend Edition" decided to have them do more than get coffee and answer phones.

They made the grades, got the gig, and now it's time for the interns to show their bosses, the top producers, if they've got what it takes.

"Interns, your mission is to divide into teams; each team is going to produce a piece, and the winning piece is going to air on 'Good Morning America Weekend,'" instructed Marysol Castro, GMA correspondent and intern challenge moderator.

The interns divided into four teams, each producing a fun feature about their internship and competing for the chance to have their piece air on "Good Morning America Weekend Edition."

Team One: Paulina Bucko, New York University and Amy D'Avanzo, Keene State College

Team Two: Lindsay Lindenbaum, Washington University in St. Louis, Trisha Cox, Indiana University, and Kristen Kucks, University of Hartford

Team Three: Lace Allenius, University of South Florida, Matthew Engler, New York University and Michael Stern, Notre Dame College

Team Four: Alexandra Simone, Stonehill College and Courtney Ramsdell, Lafayette College

They learned about graphics, they had an editing session and were off to plan and shoot their own pieces.

When their pieces were finished, it was judgment day. Each group had to present their piece to a panel of tough judges, producers Ted Winner and Mable Chan, and "Good Morning America" executive producer John Green.

The judges were tough and critical, and they certainly didn't go easy on the interns. Green liked team one's piece, but saw room for improvement.

"You showed some creative promise, but I think it felt very much like an industrial video," he said.

Team two created a little conflict amongst the judges.

"I would have liked a little more information about the internship," Winner said.

"Well, actually I love it," Chan said. And Green agreed with Chan, giving team two high marks for creativity.

Chan didn't appreciate the pace of team three's piece.

"A lot of elements are coming at me in an incoherent way," he said.

But Green liked the intricate editing.

Finally, team four faced harsh criticism from Green.

"I appreciate the effort, but this did not work for me," he said.

But they may have been saved by winner's praise.

"The way it was shot was pretty nice, so good job," he said.