The 2016 Ben Vereen Student Health Initiative Wellness Through the Arts Essay Contest Rules, Entry and Release Form Please read the following before making an essay or video submission to the competition. Include a signed copy of the Rules and Entry Form with your contest submission. The 2016 Ben Vereen Student Health Initiative Essay Contest (BVSHI) is governed by the following rules, terms and conditions. By participating in the contest, the Applicant agrees to these official rules and the decisions of the judges, which are final and binding. Ben Vereen and his affiliate companies, managers, representatives and attorneys, BVSHI, Nederlander of San Diego LLC dba Broadway/San Diego and its producers, sponsors, and affiliates, The Nederlander Organization, Inc. and its affiliated companies and partnerships reserve the right to change these rules or cancel the contest at any time, at their sole discretion. ESSAY CONTEST TOPICS: Obesity, Diabetes, Low Self Esteem, Bullying 1. Who is Eligible to Participate? Individual Written Essay, Video Essay or Performing Arts Video Project: All currently enrolled Sacramento Area High School students, Grades 9 through 12 are eligible to enter. For the Individual Essay category please submit either a written essay (maximum 2 pages see #12 for format); or a video essay using your Smartphone or digital video camera (maximum 2 minutes). For a performing arts submission, please submit either a written monologue, poem or spoken word piece or a video performance such as an original dance, music, song, poem, or monologue using your Smartphone or digital video camera (maximum 2 minutes). The top winners in each of the two categories will receive a $400 Cash Award. 2. The title of the essay is, My Best Day Ever. 3. We are asking you to share your real life stories on the key topics of obesity, diabetes, low self esteem, and bullying. (If you have any questions on the appropriateness of a topic, please contact us.) 4. Tell us about the moment of realization in your life, when the arts helped you realize that you needed to make a change regarding the key topics above, and how you went about it; or are in process of doing so. 5. There is no fee to participate in the BVSHI.
6. Only one entry per person per calendar year. 7. A signed copy of the Rules, Entry and Release Form must be included with each submittal. 8. Three signatures are required on this document. It must be signed by a. The Student (The Applicant) b. A Parent or Guardian (If the Applicant is a minor.) c. A Sponsoring Teacher/Counselor/Official from your school, who is familiar with you and your work. Their signature on this document is simply a confirmation that they know you and that this is your own original work. (Sorry, no parents may sign on your behalf, except as required in 8b. above. 9. It is acceptable to consult with a Teacher/Counselor/Official on the project for spelling, grammar, format and technical issues as long as the story remains truly your own. 10. All essays and videos must be received by 11:59 pm on Sunday, February 28, 2016. Early submissions are encouraged! 11. Finalists will be announced no later than Thursday, March 31, 2016. 12. Essays should not exceed two 8 ½ x 11, one sided, single spaced pages, with one inch margins not smaller than 10 Font and must be submitted in the form of a PDF. 13. Please be sure to put your name, age, grade, teacher and school at the top of your paper. Please make sure to submit the completed entry form with your submission. 14. Submit written essays with BVSHI Essay Full Name in the Subject Heading by email to Trudy Allyson Taliaferro, WTA Leader Sacramento at wtasacramento@gmail.com. 15.. To submit videos please send an e mail to Terri Taliaferro at wtasacramento@gmail.com for further instructions on how to submit your video using Drop Box. 16. The entries will be adjudicated by a panel of professionals.
17. Up to 8 individual essays and video projects may be selected for a special presentation at the The First Annual Ben Vereen Wellness Through The Arts Awards Presentation on April 30, 2016. 18. The decisions of the judges are final. 19. All finalists whose work is selected for inclusion in the presentation will be honored at the event. 20. Your Rights : You will retain all rights to any essays or videos that you submit including ownership rights if applicable other than those rights licensed in the next sentence. By entering the contest, you hereby grant the BVSHI and its producers, sponsors, and affiliates (i) a nonexclusive, worldwide, irrevocable, royalty free license to reproduce, distribute and publicly present in whole or in part, the essays or videos that you submit to the Ben Vereen Student Health Initiative Essay Contest, and (ii) the right to use your name and the name of your school in promotions, productions and other publications. 21. The judges are looking for thought provoking, creative and inspiring works. 22. We ask that the content be suitable for most ages (older elementary school through to adult) and that it not include any profanity or violence. Please use good common sense and submit only essays or videos that might be suitable for presentation at a school. 23. Only original works will be accepted. 24. If there are persons in your video, you are responsible for obtaining the necessary releases from the individuals in the video, and you must provide copies of the BVSHI releases at submittal. 25. Entrants must not infringe on the rights of any other video or filmmaker. 26. If you use music, please use only original or copyright free music for your video soundtracks. Copyright law prohibits us from broadcasting your video if you use copyrighted music. 27. Videos must be made in a responsible manner that includes but is not limited to, not harming people or animals, not engaging in unsafe behavior and not damaging the environment. 28. The essays and videos will be judged on:
Educational and Informational Merit Appropriateness to the Themes Provided Adherence to the Rules Originality and Creativity Overall Impact Artistic Merit Legal Conditions: The Applicant shall, in entering the BVSHI Essay Contest, agree to all rules and regulations defined in the official rules and agrees to release Ben Vereen and his affiliate companies, managers, representatives and attorneys, The Nederlander Organization, Inc. and affiliated companies and partnerships, the BVSHI, Nederlander of San Diego LLC dba Broadway/San Diego, its producers, sponsors, and affiliates including Sacramento Wellness Through The Arts, from any and all claims arising in any way from the submission of materials by or on behalf of the Applicant and the use of the materials. The Applicant also grants a non exclusive license, without compensation, throughout the world and in perpetuity, to the BVSHI, its producers, sponsors, and affiliates including Sacramento Wellness Through The Arts to: A) Use the winning contest entries for BVSHI educational purposes including, but not limited to, live and pre recorded presentations at both public and private venues. B) Display the winning contest entries, in part or in its entirety, on the Ben Vereen Awards, Broadway/San Diego, the Ben Vereen and BVSHI websites, and/or other websites as determined by the BVSHI, its producers, sponsors and affiliates including Sacramento Wellness Through The Arts. C) Present the winning entries to the public by any means including, but not limited to, the internet, cable, satellite, radio, television, newspapers, CD, DVD, and other digital and social media. D) The BVSHI, Nederlander of San Diego LLC dba Broadway/San Diego, its producers, sponsors, and affiliates including Sacramento Wellness Through The Arts will retain ownership of the portable media for previously mentioned publishing and presentation purposes. E) These uses will continue in perpetuity. By signing below, the Applicant submitting the enclosed contest entry and materials to the BVSHI indicates that he/she holds all necessary rights for the submission of contest entry and
materials, and to grant the rights to BVSHI. Applicant agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless Ben Vereen and his affiliate companies, managers, representatives and attorneys, The Nederlander Organization, Inc. and affiliated companies and partnerships, the BVSHI, and Nederlander of San Diego LLC dba Broadway/San Diego, its producers, sponsors, and affiliates including Sacramento Wellness Through The Arts, from any and all third party liability for any injuries, loss, claim, action, demand or damage of any kind arising from or in connection with the competition, contest entry and the materials, including, without limitation, any third party claim for copyright infringement or a violation of an individual s right to privacy and/or publicity right. The Contest is void where prohibited by law. I have read the Rules, Entry and Release Form carefully, fully understand its content and obligations, and voluntarily agree to its terms.
Entry Form Wellness Through the Arts, Sacramento 2016 Applicant Name (Print): Applicant Signature: Date: Street Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: Email: Name of School: Year in School: Age: If applicant is under 18, a parent or legal guardian must sign. Parent/Guardian Name (Print): Parent/Guardian Signature: Date: Street Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: Email: Please have a Sponsoring Teacher/Counselor/Official from your school also sign. Teacher/Counselor/Official Name (Print): Teacher/Counselor/Official Signature: Date: Street Address: City: State: Zip: Phone: Email: If you should have any questions, or if you should require any additional information, please contact Trudy Allyson Taliaferro, WTA Sacramento Leader, at wtasacramento@gmail.com Items submitted by US Post may be mailed to Ben Vereen Student Health Initiative (BVSHI) Wellness Through the Arts, 7909 Walerga Road, Suite 112, PMB #315, Antelope, CA 95843