Arizona PBS Writing Contest

Arizona PBS KIDS 2023 Writing Contest Rules

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.

The Arizona PBS KIDS 2023 Writing Contest is produced by Arizona PBS (KAET-TV) (the “Contest” or “Promotion”) and based on the Reading Rainbow® Young Writers and Illustrators Contest, a concept developed by WNED. The Contest begins on March 29, 2023 and ends on April 29, 2023. The Contest consists of one round of local judging. All entries must be postmarked April 23, 2023 to be eligible. These Contest rules are subject to modification by Arizona PBS (the “Sponsor”) at its discretion. This Contest is void where prohibited. The promotional sponsor for the Contest is Primavera Online School®.

Eligibility and entry guidelines

  • Entrants must be children in kindergarten, first, second, third, fourth or fifth grade.
  • Children of employees of Arizona PBS, sales representatives, subsidiaries or parent companies, advertising/sales promotion agencies and judges are not eligible.
  • To be eligible, an entrant must be a legal resident of the fifty (50) United States and D.C. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify ineligible entries; such entries will not be returned.
  • Only one entry per person will be accepted in this Contest unless one adult is submitting multiple individual entries on behalf of a class or club; all subsequent entries will be disqualified.
  • Only single author stories qualify (no co-authored stories).
  • Stories can be fact or fiction.
  • Any failure to adhere to these Contest rules may result in disqualification from the Contest.
  • No purchase is necessary.

Word count requirement

  • The word count includes “a,” “an” and “the” but not the words on non-story pages such as the title page or those that enhance the illustrations.
  • Text must be printed or written legibly or typed. Children who cannot write may dictate their story to be printed, written legibly or typed.
  • Text may be integrated into the illustration pages or on separate pages.
  • Non-English text must be translated on the same page and the translated text (English text) must adhere to word count.
  • Invented spelling is accepted.

Format and illustrations

  • Illustrations are not required but are welcome.
  • Stories submitted by mail must be created on one side of the paper and numbered on the back of each page.
  • Please include the author’s name and title of the story both in the online entry form and in the file name of the submission.

Official entry form

  • Each entry must have an online submission form completed with the required permission release checked confirming parent/legal guardian(s) consent.
  • If entries are mailed, please include your name, email, mailing address and phone number so we may contact you and the author.

Judging, awards and notifications

All entries submitted to the Contest will be judged using the criteria below by a panel of no fewer than three judges selected and coordinated by Sponsor. The judging will be scored and graded using a rubric based on the following criteria:

  • 40%: Creativity and originality
  • 40%: Relevance and incorporation of the theme
  • 20%: Story structure and use of literary devices

All decisions of the judges are final and binding and not subject to appeal or review.

Winners will be as follows:

  • (1) The entry with the highest score from among all eligible entries received per grade will be deemed the First Place winner.
  • (2) The entry with the second to the highest score from among all eligible entries received per grade will be deemed the Second Place winner.
  • (3) The entry with the third to the highest score from among all eligible entries received per grade will be deemed the Third Place winner.

In the event of a tie, the entry with the highest score in the creativity and originality category from among all tying entries will be deemed the winner.

Winners will be notified at the conclusion of scoring and will be invited to a celebration (time and location to be determined).

Prizes

There will be a first, second and third place prize for each grade level in the Contest. First place winners will receive a Google Chromebook; second place winners will receive a POGO pass; third place winners will receive a 3D writing pen. All winners will be invited to a special celebration at Arizona PBS after judging concludes.

Sponsor reserves the right to substitute any prize for a prize of equal or greater value, at the sole discretion of Sponsor. Prizes are not redeemable for cash, non-transferable, and non-substitutable except at the sole discretion of Sponsor.

Return of entries

Sponsor will make every effort, but is not required, to return mailed entries. To request a return, please submit a self-addressed stamped envelope with the submission. Sponsor is not responsible for late, lost, stolen, misdirected, damaged, mutilated, incomplete, returned or illegible entries or postage-due mail.

Rights associated with Contest

Submission of the entry form constitutes permission from participants’ parent/legal guardian(s) for Sponsor to use the name, likeness, biographical information, information and materials contained in the entry form, photographs and any statements or remarks made about the Contest in advertising and promotion without further compensation or permission, except where prohibited by law.

All entries, and any copyrights therein, become the sole property of Sponsor. By entering, participants’ parent/legal guardian(s) agree to abide by the above stated rules, and warrant that their child’s/ward’s entry is their original work and does not infringe upon or violate rights of any third party, and grant to Sponsor the right to edit, publish, promote and otherwise use their entry materials without permission, notice or compensation.

No royalties will be paid at this or any time. By submitting an entry and entry form, participants’ parent/legal guardian(s), on behalf of the participant, agrees to assign all right, title and interest in and to the entry and entry form to Sponsor and warrants that participants’ parent/legal guardian(s) has the authority to assign such right, title and interest. In the event that any applicable law requires certain formalities to be fulfilled to effectuate such grant of rights, participants’ parent/legal guardian(s) agrees to cooperate with Sponsor to achieve fulfillment of such formalities.

By submitting an entry form, participants’ parent/legal guardian(s), on behalf of participant, agrees to be bound by these Contest rules. Participants’ parent/legal guardian(s), on behalf of the participant, agrees to release and hold Sponsor, and its employees, officers, directors, shareholders, agents, representatives, subsidiaries, parent companies or other affiliated companies harmless from any and all damages, losses, claims and liabilities arising out of participation in the Contest or resulting from acceptance or claiming of any prize hereunder.

Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to terminate, suspend or otherwise cancel the Contest at any time. Income and all other taxes are the responsibility of the prize recipient. Sponsor is not responsible for any expenses incurred in connection with participation in the Contest.

Privacy

Unless otherwise specified, any and all information in connection with this Contest will be used by Sponsor solely for the purpose of administering the Contest. Please note: If you circled or selected “Yes” on the entry form to opt-in to receive optional promotional materials, Sponsor may share your contact information contained in the entry form with Contest promotional partners, or their agents, to fulfill the offers. To understand how Sponsor uses, stores, manages or discards private information, visit the Arizona State University (ASU) privacy policy at: https://www.asu.edu/about/privacy (Arizona PBS is operated by ASU).

Sponsor

Arizona PBS
555 N. Central Avenue, Suite 500
Phoenix, Arizona 85004
azpbs.org

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