Rotary's 4-Way-Test Essay Competition - Final Submission Date Apr 30

DEADLINES:

On or before            Apr  12     Rotarians provide 4-Way Test Information to Interact Clubs

On or before            Apr  26     Competing InterActers turn in essays to InterAct Faculty Sponsor

On or before        ** Apr  30     Faculty sponsors submit essays direct to nwagoner@wagonerlaw.com 

                                                **Last day for RECEIPT of  essays

On or before           May  15    3 Winners Announced

               ON           May  30    District Rotary Awards Luncheon, 12N, BraeBurn Country Club, 8100 Bissonnet, Houston 77074. Winners read essays/ receive awards.

WHAT ARE THE RULES?

1.       Eligibility:  Only candidates who are (i) 12th grade graduating seniors, and (ii) members of an InterAct Club in District 5890, are eligible to participate

2.       Judging Protocol:   Cumulative-point system for (i) Contest Rules Conformity, (ii) Substance, (iii) Grammar, (iv) Spelling, (v) Originality, (vi) Writing Quality, and (vii) Overall Quality

3.       Essay Subject:  Must explore one or more aspects of Rotary’s 4-Way Test

4.       Essay Length:  Between 200 and 400 words, not including cover page (DO count words carefully to avoid disqualification)

5.       Essay Format:  Typed, either double or single spaced, neatly arranged; must include a cover sheet

6.       Press Releases:  By submitting an entry, each candidate and candidate’s legal guardian agrees that candidate’s image, name, and essay contents may be featured in the media and in Rotary news.

7.       COVER SHEET REQUIRED for each essay must include:
STUDENT’S NAME & Grade (12th Graders only):
Student EMAIL:
Student Telephone(s):
Name of High School:
Name of Interact Club:
Student Full Home Address:
Parent Name(s):
Parent(s)’ Full Home Address:
Parent(s)’ Email:
Parent(s)’ Phone(s):
Sponsoring Rotary Club:
Rotarian Sponsor Name + Tel. & email:
Interact Faculty Advisor Name + Tel. & email:

8.       Submission: Email transmission of entries to the District Committee Chair is strongly preferred to: nwagoner@wagonerlaw.com. If email transmission is not possible, essays may be faxed to 713-668-7875 or 713-662-2347, so long as RECEIVED not later than 5pm on April 30, 2013.

9.       Claiming/utilizing Scholarship Awards: The District Treasurer will send the amount of your awarded scholarship funds to the appropriate financial officer at the designated college/university you are attending to be applied as a credit to your student account for educational expenses.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?

            ROTARIANS:  Contact the InterAct Faculty Sponsor for each InterAct Club sponsored by your Rotary Club and encourage them to promote the competition with their InterAct club members who are in the 12th grade. Be sure every InterAct Faculty Sponsor receives and distributes the competition instructions to their SENIOR members (only 12th graders are eligible). Offer to speak to your InterAct Clubs about the 4-way Test and scholarship awards. Consider inviting one or more of your essayists and their Faculty Sponsors to your own Rotary meeting to read their essay(s) regardless of whether or not they land in the District winner’s circle. Coordinate with your InterAct Faculty Sponsors direct & timely email submissions to nwagoner@wagonerlaw.com . Watch the DEADLINES and do what you can to assure that a good number of entries are timely submitted from your sponsored InterAct club(s). If one or more of your sponsored students is a winner, your club will pay for his/her Awards Luncheon costs ($18pp), payable at door or mailed earlier to Nan Wagoner.  Invite your winning students’ parents and InterAct Faculty Sponsor to the Awards Luncheon also at your sponsoring Rotary Club’s cost.  DO make every effort to attend the Special Luncheon Awards Presentation hosted by Bellaire Southwest Rotary on Thursday, May 30, 2013, 12:00 -1:15 p.m., BraeBurn Coun try Club, 8100 Bissonnet, Houston 77074, to support and congratulate ALL winners, whether or not they were sponsored by your club.

            FACULTY SPONSORS: Encourage every ELIGIBLE member of your InterAct club (12th Graders only) to submit an essay.  The essays are short (200-400 words), and the scholarship awards are valuable!  Timely gather all essays from your students and coordinate submissions with your Rotary club as described above when possible. Be sure all requested information is provided. Not later than submission deadline of April 30, email your students’ essays directly to the District Committee Chair at nwagoner@wagonerlaw.com, or fax or deliver to Nan Wagoner. 

            SENIOR INTERACT MEMBERS:  Have FUN writing a short, interesting essay that could win you academic recognition and a nice college scholarship to any college/university of your choice! Be sure your essay is TIMELY SUBMITTED and follows all the instructions, above. GOOD LUCK to all entrants!

Essays should explore one or more aspects of Rotary’s 4-Way Test of the things we think, say, or do:

Is it the truth?   Is it fair to all concerned?  Will it build good will and better friendships?  Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

Students often write about how they have, or could, use the 4-Way Test to make a decision, or as a means to evaluate a situation. Other approaches might be, “How I Can Use the 4-Way Test In My Life,” or, “Resolving Competing Answers Within the 4-Way Test,” just for example.