2022 Student Sustainability Summit – Call for Entries

K – 12 Student Essay or Video Competition addressing the question,
“What steps are you taking to promote environmental sustainability?”

Monmouth University’s School of Education is calling on students in grades K – 12 to share their views and suggestions on the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals:

Goal 6: Clean water and sanitation
Goal 7: Affordable and clean energy
Goal 11: Sustainable cities and communities
Goal 12: Responsible consumption and production
Goal 13: Climate action
Goal 14: Life below water
Goal 15: Life on land

We want you to be a part of this global conversation, and look forward to your thoughts and ideas!

Important Dates and Details:

1. There are three groups, divided by grade groups: K – 4, 5 – 8, and 9 – 12
2. Dates to remember:
   1. Competition closes – Deadline Extended to February 7, 2022
   2. February 25, 2022 Finalists notification
   3. March 22, 2022 at 7:00 pm (EST, US) The Award Event
      1. Three finalists from each grade group will be chosen. The finalists will have the privilege of showcasing their work on the university’s website and be invited to give a speech, virtually via Zoom, at the event about their submission.
      2. One winner from each grade group will be selected, based on the quality of the content of their submission, and will be announced at the event. The winners will receive a cash award of $100.
      3. Everyone is invited to attend the Zoom presentation, so please invite your parents and teachers to see the event.

Rules of the Competition

Participation

1. Only students in grades K – 12 may enter.
2. Only individual entries are admitted, no teams are allowed to take part in the competition.
3. Students may submit an essay or a video, but not both. One submission per student is allowed.

Guidelines

1. Copyright issues or plagiarism of any kind will result in disqualification.
2. Students should keep at least one copy of their essay or video. Monmouth University is not responsible for any essay or video that is lost, damaged, or does not upload properly.
3. Please see a complete list of essay and video guidelines, listed on page 3 of this document.

Selection Process

1. The panel of judges is composed of Monmouth University faculty experts and teacher candidates.
2. Entries will be judged by the quality of content, with one winner chosen from each of the grade groups.
3. The judges’ decision will be final.

Prizes

1. The names and works of the three finalists from each grade group, K-4, 5-8, and 9-12, will be published on the official page for the competition, which is found on the Monmouth University School of Education website, under Annual Events and Publications, as well as the Sustainability Education Week webpage.
2. The finalists will be invited to give a short three-minute speech about their submission.
3. One winner will be chosen from the finalists of each grade group.
4. Prize for the winner will be $100.

How to Enter:

1. Fill out the form and upload your essay or video
   1. Fill out an entry form.
   2. Upload your essay or video. Please name your file submission using the following format: lastname_firstname_grade
   3. All entries can be submitted starting on December 1, 2021. The deadline for submissions is 11:59 pm on January 31, 2022. Finalists will be announced no later than February 25, 2022.
   4. All parent permission and photo releases must be submitted by 11:59 pm on January 31, 2022.
2. Entries cannot be returned, so please remember to retain a copy.
3. All entries must be the original work of the entrant, and must not infringe the rights of any other party.
4. Entries must not contain defamatory, obscene, offensive or any other unsuitable material.
5. Entries must be suitable to be published for an audience of all ages.
6. You must submit the signed/completed Parent Permission Form and a signed/completed Release Form for each person appearing in your video.
7. Ownership of the underlying intellectual property of the project remains with the entrant, with the following exceptions:
   1. Entrants grant Monmouth University and the School of Education the right to use the names, photographs, statements, quotes, testimonials, and essay/video submissions for advertising, publicity, and promotional purposes without further notification or further compensation.
   2. Monmouth University and the School of Education maintains the right to reproduce, reprint,  distribute, perform, display or exhibit the project for advertising, publicity, and promotional  purposes on their website, at conferences or at any other venue. Content must comply with all local and national laws of the country of origin and the United States.