JUST ANNOUNCED: See the 2012 Challenge Finalists

Rules

THE SIEMENS WE CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CHALLENGE

OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES - UPDATED 8/24/2011

VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY

1.   TERM:  The Siemens "We Can Change the World" Elementary School Challenge (the "Contest") begins at 12:01 am Eastern Time ("ET") on August 24, 2011 and ends at 11:59 pm ET on March 15, 2012 ("Term").  Discovery Communications, LLC ("Sponsor") reserves the right in its sole discretion to extend the deadline and if chooses to do so, will notify all registrants of this decision and post notice of such deadline extension at the Contest website.

2.   PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:  The objective of the Contest is for teachers, mentors or other adults ("Teacher/Mentor") to work with and supervise a group of students within a classroom setting, home school environment or after school program (each, a "Class" and, collectively, "Classes") in the creation of a Contest entry which identifies a sustainability issue and provides a plan to positively impact that issue and improve their environment.  Classes should be comprised of no more than fifty (50) students in either: [a] Kindergarten through Grade 2; or [b] Grade 3 through Grade 5.  Entries across Grades K-5 should focus on an environmental issue or problem in their classroom or school.  Grade K-2 entries will be judged separately from Grade 3-5 entries.  If a Class includes two grade levels then the higher grade level will be used to determine which grade band the class will be judged in.  Under the Teacher/Mentor's direction and guidance, each Class' entry should include the following steps: choosing a topic, writing a problem statement, doing background research, writing a hypothesis, developing a plan, collecting data, drawing a conclusion, reporting the results and explaining how to replicate this project.  Additional information and tips for creating an effective Contest entry will be available online at the Contest website, www.wecanchange.com.  Contest entries must be submitted online at www.wecanchange.com by the Class' Teacher/Mentor.

3.   REQUIREMENTS FOR TEACHERS/MENTORS:  Each Class shall be supervised by one teacher, mentor or other adult who is a legal resident of one of the 50 United States or Washington DC, age 18 or older (a "Teacher/Mentor").  The Teacher/Mentor will provide guidance to the Class, work with the Class to develop the entry, and submit the final entry.  Employees of the Sponsor, the National Science Teachers Association (the "NSTA"), the College Board, their respective subsidiaries and affiliates, the Contest administrator, advertising and promotion agencies and members of the immediate families (spouses and parents, children and siblings and their spouses) and persons living in the same household of such individuals (collectively, "Affiliated Parties") are not eligible to be a Teacher/Mentor. 

4.   CLASSES: A Class consists of a group of no more than fifty (50) students within a classroom setting, home school environment or after school program.  Each Class member must be a legal resident of one of the 50 United States or Washington DC who is enrolled in Kindergarten through 5th grade at a public, private, parochial or home school located in one of the 50 United States or Washington DC at the time of entry.  Children and siblings of employees of any Affiliated Parties may participate but are not eligible to win a prize.  Eligibility may be verified by the Sponsor at any time; any determinations of eligibility will be made by the Sponsor whose decisions are final.

5.   PERSONAL DATA AND PARENTAL CONSENT:  The Sponsor and Siemens Foundation (the "Foundation") will be collecting personal information from the Teacher/Mentors at the time of entry.  This information will be used in accordance with the Sponsor and the Foundation's privacy policies, located at http://dsc.discovery.com/utilities/about/privacypolicy.html and http://w1.siemens.com/about/en/footer/privacy.htm.  Each Class' entry must not contain any personally identifiable information about the students in the Class.  Instead, the entry must only contain the first name of each participating student in the Class.  In the event that any additional information is provided, the entry will become VOID. 

In order to fulfill the prizes, the Sponsor will need to collect personal information from the members of a particular Class in case the Class is selected as a potential First, Second, or Third Place winner in the Contest.  In such an instance, the Sponsor will ask the applicable Teacher/Mentor to provide the Sponsor with an executed parental consent form.  This form must be completed by a parent or legal guardian of each participant in order for each Class member to continue participating in the Contest.  In addition, the Teacher/Mentor and the parent or legal guardian will be required to execute the prize documents described in Sections 9 and 10 of these Official Rules.  Without completing and returning such consent, the affected student may not receive the applicable prize and may be disqualified from the Contest.

6. TO SUBMIT AN ENTRY:  The Teacher/Mentor must visit www.wecanchange.com to register and create a Class.  After registering and creating a Class, the Teacher/Mentor will be given access to the challenge application which must be completed in the space provided.  Entries must be received by the Sponsor's server by 11:59 PM ET on March 15, 2012.  The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to extend the deadline and will notify all Teachers/Mentors and post a notice at the Contest's website if a deadline is extended.  The entry must be in the Class' own words, but the Teacher/Mentor may assist in their preparation and organization of the entry.  The entry can be a continuation of a prior project, however any work done prior to the Term must be identified and only work done during the Term will judged.  Limit: ONE ENTRY, PER CLASS.  Students may not participate as members of more than one Class.  In the event that the Sponsor learns that one student is a member of two separate participating Classes, it may disqualify both Classes or ask the Teacher/Mentor to remove the student from one or both of the Classes.  Any disputes between Class members are solely the responsibility of the Teacher/Mentor and the Teacher/Mentor may not substitute or change Class members after entry without receiving the written permission from the Sponsor.  Entries must be completed in English.

7.   WARRANTY AND IP RIGHTS AND CONSIDERATIONS: By submitting an entry, the Teacher/Mentor named on the entry form warrants and represents that (i) the entry is entirely the original work of the Class, was written by the Class and was created by the Class, all while under the supervision of the Teacher/Mentor who supervised and assisted the Class in developing the Contest entry; (ii) the Teacher/Mentor owns or otherwise controls all of the rights to the entry; (iii) the entry does not violate any law, regulation or any right of any third-party, including but not limited to rights of copyright, publicity and privacy; (iv) he or she has obtained the appropriate permission from each of the Class members and their parent or legal guardian to submit the entry and the related entry materials required in this Contest; and (v) the Teacher/Mentor will only supply the identity, or any personal information related to the students in the event the entry is a winner of First, Second, or Third Prize. 

Submitting an entry that is copyrighted by another individual will result in the Teacher/Mentor being responsible for any legal action the legal copyright holder might take against the Teacher/Mentor, the Sponsor, the Foundation (or its affiliates) or the Class.  Entries may not defame or invade the rights of publicity or privacy of any person, living or deceased, or otherwise infringe upon a person's personal or proprietary rights.  Submissions that are deemed by the judges in their sole discretion to be not in keeping with the Sponsor's or the Foundation's respective image will be void.  The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to disqualify any entry at any time which, in the Sponsor's reasonable opinion, endangers the safety or well being of any person or in the event it is determined that the entrant has not complied with these Official Rules.  The Sponsor is under no obligation to correspond about entries.  Entries become the property of the Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned.

8.   JUDGING AND JUDGING CRITERIA:  After the completion of the Term and beginning on or about March 15, 2012, the entries will be screened by Discovery Education and judged by a panel of judges from Discovery Education's partner organizations, educators and science professionals.  Judging will not be based on blind reads.  All judging will be based on the following judging criteria:

Criteria for Grade K-2 and 3-5 Entries:

  • Local Environmental Issue or Problem (10% of total score) - How well does the entry describe a classroom or school situation or behavior that negatively affects the environment, and its proposed solution? Is the issue or problem common to other classrooms or other students the same age group?

 

  • Teacher/Mentor Effort to Expand the Solution (20% of total score) - How effective was the Teacher/Mentor in generating awareness and action within their school community? Did the students take on individual roles to carry out the solution?
  • Creativity/Innovation (10% of total score) - Is the entry original and creative in its concept and communication, and does it enable students to demonstrate their intelligence and resources to solve the problem?
  • The Plan, and Enactment of the Plan (40% of total score) - Is the plan based on data collected that helps demonstrate there is a problem? Is the plan realistic, thoughtfully developed, and clearly explained including images, charts, and illustrations? Are materials carefully selected and specified? Is the procedure sequential and clearly explained? Is data used to determine the effectiveness of the solution?
  • Sustainability and Replication (20% of total score) - Is the change one that will continue to benefit the environment for a significant time? Are recommendations made on how other students this age group could replicate the solution, make the solution easier, or make it work better?

Using the above criteria, the judges will score the eligible entries in the applicable Grade K-2 and Grade 3-5 category ("Category") and select one First Place, one Second Place, one Third Place and up to 51 Finalist potential winners for each Category.  In each Category, the potential First Place winner will be the Class with the highest score; the potential Second Place winner will be the Class with the second highest score, and so on.  In the event of a tie between Classes at any prize level, the Class with the higher score in the category "The Plan, and Enactment of the Plan" will be named the winner, within the applicable Category (tie breaking category thereafter will be "Creativity/Innovation").  If an insufficient number of qualified entries is received, the Sponsor may name fewer than the stated number of winners in either or both Categories.  The Teacher/Mentors of the winning Classes will be notified by email, phone, postal mail or express mail, beginning on or about May 1, 2012.  At that time, the Teacher/Mentors of the First, Second, and Third Place Classes will be asked to provide the parental consents described in Section 5 of these Official Rules.

If the Teacher/Mentor does not respond to any of the notification attempts described herein within the time period specified within the notification, then such Class will be disqualified and an alternate potential Class will be selected from among the remaining eligible entries received in that Category, based on the judging criteria described herein ("Alternative Winner").

9.   CLASS PRIZES:  

The First Place winning Class will receive a one (1) hour science-based assembly for their school, hosted by the Foundation and the Sponsor (the "Assembly Prize"). There is no approximate retail value ascribed to the Assembly Prize.  If ambiguous from the entry, a particular submission may be associated with a particular school as determined by the Sponsor in its sole discretion, using the applicable entry information provided and/or the Teacher/Mentor's home address.  Among other conditions detailed in these Official Rules, the granting of the Assembly Prize will be subject to all applicable laws, rules and regulations and the approval of the winning school as well as the acceptance by winning school of Sponsor's requirements and conditions in connection with the award and execution of the Assembly Prize.  Sponsor will arrange and coordinate the date of the assembly with the winning school.  On-stage host(s) and programming will be provided by the Foundation and the Sponsor, and the winning school will be responsible for all other aspects of the assembly including but not limited to the venue, invitations, staffing, and insurance.  An authorized representative of the potential winning school will be required to sign and return a Declaration of Eligibility and Liability Release and (where legal) a Publicity Release, and provide any additional information or documentation that may be required by the Sponsor and/or the Foundation.  If required, a potential winning school must return all such required documents within the time period specified by the Sponsor, or such potential winning school will be deemed to have forfeited the Assembly Prize. Further, a potential winning school will be deemed to have forfeited the Assembly Prize should Sponsor and the winning school fail to arrange and hold the assembly event within one (1) year of such potential winning school being notified.  Failure to comply with these Official Rules may result in the disqualification of a school or forfeiture of the Assembly Prize in the Sponsor's sole discretion.  If the First Place Winning Class consists of students from a home school environment, in place of a school assembly, the Class will receive a $10,000 scholarship, to be divided equally between the members of the Class and awarded in the form of checks made payable to the applicable Class members.

Each member of the First, Second, and Third Place winning Class will receive a prize package of Discovery "Green" merchandise, ARV $50 per person.  The "Green" merchandise prizes will be delivered to the Teacher/Mentor of the applicable Class, who will be responsible for ensuring each Class member receives his/her prize.

The First, Second, and Third Place Prizes will not be awarded without the Sponsor first receiving each Class member's parental consent.  Each member of the First, Second, and Third Place prize Classes must provide the Sponsor with the appropriate consent and also may be required to complete an affidavit of eligibility, liability and (where legal) publicity release which must be returned within the time period specified in notification letter or the Sponsor may select an Alternative Winner or disqualify that member of the Class.  The Sponsor reserves the right to award an alternative prize in the event that a prize is unavailable or inapplicable.

10. TEACHER/MENTOR AND SCHOOL PRIZES

First Place Prizes:  The Teacher/Mentor of each First Place Class will receive a one-year membership to the NSTA; registration to the next NSTA National (or Area) Conference; hotel accommodations for three nights at the conference; a pocket video camera; the opportunity to be a guest editor on TreeHugger.com; and a plaque; total ARV $710 each.  The school associated with each First Place entry will also receive a $5,000 grant awarded in the form of a check and a banner, total ARV $5,860.

Second Place Prizes:  The Teacher/Mentor of each Second Place Class will receive a one-year membership to the NSTA; registration to the next NSTA National (or Area) Conference; hotel accommodations for two nights at the conference; a pocket video camera; the opportunity to be a guest editor on TreeHugger.com; and a plaque; total ARV $590 each.  The school associated with each Second Place entry will receive a $3,000 grant awarded in the form of a check, and a banner, total ARV $3,740.

 

Third Place Prizes:  The Teacher/Mentor of each Second Place Class will receive a one-year membership to the NSTA; registration to the next NSTA National (or Area) Conference; hotel accommodations for one night at the conference; a pocket video camera; the opportunity to be a guest editor on TreeHugger.com; and a plaque; total ARV $470 each.  The school associated with each Third Place entry will receive a $2,000 grant awarded in the form of a check, and a banner, total ARV $2,620.

Finalist Prizes:  Each Teacher/Mentor of each Finalist Class will receive a one-year membership to the NSTA and a pocket video camera, and the school associated with each Finalist entry will receive a banner, total ARV $424.

Teacher/Mentors and the schools associated with a winning entry may be required to complete an affidavit of eligibility, liability and (where legal) publicity release within the time period specified in the notification document.  In the event a Teacher/Mentor and the associated school do not complete these documents as directed, the Sponsor may disqualify the associated Class and select an Alternative Winner in its place.  In the case of a dispute over which school is associated with a particular entry, Sponsor reserves the right to designate a school in its sole discretion.  It is the Sponsor's intention that a winning school's use of a grant prize be made in the area of science or technology.  Schools receiving a grant prize will be asked to provide evidence of their tax exempt status.  If any such school does not have satisfactory evidence of tax exempt status (in Sponsor's sole discretion), the Sponsor reserves the right to award the applicable grant prize to the Teacher/Mentor in the form of a check.  Teacher/Mentors not associated with a school are not eligible to win the grant awarded to the First, Second or Third Prize winners.

11. PRIZE RESTRICTIONS:  Taxes on prizes and all expenses related to acceptance and use of the prizes and not specified are the sole responsibility of prize recipients.  No prize can be transferred, substituted or redeemed for cash except at the Sponsor's sole discretion. The Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of comparable or greater value if a prize cannot be awarded as described for any reason.  Limit one prize per person.  Odds of winning any prize depends on the number of eligible entries received during the Contest and the relative performance of the entrants.

12. RELEASE:  By participating, entrants agree [a] to these Official Rules and to decisions of the Sponsor and the Foundation, which shall be final in all respects relating to this Contest; and [b] to release, discharge and hold harmless the Sponsor, the Foundation, the NSTA, the College Board, their respective affiliates and subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies, agents and representatives, and their respective officers, directors and employees (collectively, "Releasees") from any and all injuries, liability, losses and damages of any kind resulting from their participating in the Contest or their acceptance, use or misuse of a prize including, without limitation, personal injury, death and property damage, and claims based on publicity rights, copyright, trademark, defamation or invasion of privacy.  In addition, Releasees are not responsible for and shall not be liable for [a] electronic, hardware or software program, network, Internet or computer malfunctions, failures, or difficulties of any kind, including without limitation, server malfunction or by any human error which may occur in the processing of entries; [b] failed, incomplete, garbled or delayed computer transmissions; [c] lost, late, misdirected, damaged, incomplete entries or postage-due mail; or [d] any condition caused by events beyond the control of the Sponsor that may cause the promotion to be disrupted or corrupted.

13. RIGHT TO CANCEL & DISQUALIFY:  The Sponsor reserves the right in its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest or any portion thereof should viruses, bugs or other causes beyond the control of the Sponsor corrupt the administration, security or proper play of the Contest, and limit entries to those submitted prior to the action taken, or to proceed in such a manner as may be deemed fair and equitable by Sponsor in its sole discretion.  Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of the Contest or website or who are in violation of these Official Rules, as solely determined by the Sponsor, will be disqualified and all associated entries will be void. 

14. RIGHTS IN ENTRY MATERIALS:   Teachers/Mentors hereby assign to the Sponsor and the Foundation: [a] all rights of ownership, reproduction and use of essay and entry materials for any purpose whatsoever without compensation or further permission, including but not limited to an irrevocable and perpetual, royalty-fee, worldwide right, in all media (now known or later developed) to use, publish, alter or otherwise exploit entries; and [b] use of Teacher/Mentor's name, school, city and state and/or photograph and any video footage of winners recorded on any prize trip for programming, advertising, publicity and promotional purposes without compensation (unless prohibited by law) and without prior approval or inspection, and agree to execute specific consent to such use if asked to do so.

15. WINNERS LIST:  To receive a list of winners, mail a self-addressed, stamped envelope to be received by April 30, 2012, to:  Siemens "We Can Change the World" Elementary School Challenge Winners, PMI Station, PO Box 750, Southbury, CT 06488-0750.  Residents of Vermont need not supply return postage.

16. SPONSOR:  Discovery Communications, LLC, One Discovery Place, Silver Spring, MD  20910

©2011 Discovery Education.  All rights reserved.

 

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