Contest
NCSY and the Orthodox Union has launched a national contest for teens (ages 13-19). The task is to submit an essay on one of the three topics outlined below. Submissions will be posted on NCSY and Orthodox Union social media (Facebook and Instagram).
Rules
Terms:
The essay contest begins February 1, 2022, and ends Saturday, April 30, 2022, at midnight (EST) By submitting an essay, you confirm that you are eligible to enter the contest, and you agree to the rules of the contest.
Who May Enter:
The contest is open to 8th -12th grade students who are at least 13 years of age at the time of their submission. In the event that the Sponsor learns that any Entrant is under the age of 13, the Sponsor will retain the information submitted by the Entrant long enough to respond to the Entrant, but will otherwise delete all information submitted by the Entrant after notifying the Entrant that they are ineligible for the contest. Those who submit entries to the contest must reside in the United States and Canada.
Individuals affiliated with NCSY and/or the Orthodox Union, including employees, officers, directors, board members, trustees, interns, volunteers, fellows, research associates, agents, representatives or independent contractors of NCSY and/or the Orthodox Union, or subsidiaries, affiliates, agents, assigns, or any entity connected with this promotion, and each of their immediate families (children, parents, siblings, and spouses) and others living in their households, are not eligible. NCSY and/or the Orthodox Union will determine eligibility in its sole discretion.
The contest is sponsored by NCSY and the Orthodox Union (collectively the “Sponsor”). The Sponsor may be contacted at 11 Broadway, NY, NY 10004. To find out who won this contest, check @myncsy Instagram or send a self-addressed stamped envelope to the address above. Requests received more than six (6) months after the Entry Period will not be honored.
What to Enter:
Entrants must submit a 600-800-word essay on one of the following topics:
- Share where you personally found Jewish inspiration as a teen.
- Explain how you prevailed in finding inspiration despite times when you felt misunderstood as a Jewish teen.
- Demonstrate how the Jewish teen experience of a friend/family member was unique to yours and how it inspired you.
Entrants will be required to provide their full name, date of birth, mailing address, and email address at the time of the entry, and to certify that they are the sole creator and owner of the essay.
Ethics:
By submitting your essay, you confirm that you are the sole creator and owner of the essay. Submissions containing plagiarism of any form will be disqualified.
How to Enter:
Entries will be submitted on NCSY.org.
By making a submission, you acknowledge the Orthodox Union’s privacy policy, which can be found here.
You retain your rights to your essay; however, by entering the contest, you grant NCSY and/or the Orthodox Union (and those authorized by NCSY and/or the Orthodox Union) a royalty-free, world-wide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to publicly display, distribute, reproduce, and create derivative works of the entries, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or later developed, for any purpose, including, but not limited to, publications of NCSY and its individual states. Any essay reproduced will include an essay credit as feasible. NCSY and/or the Orthodox Union will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such uses.
NCSY and/or the Orthodox Union reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify incomplete entries.
No purchase is necessary to enter.
Entry Period:
The contest begins on February 1, 2022 at 9:00AM (EST). All entries must be received through our website by 11:59 p.m. (EST) on Saturday, April 30th, 2022. The winner will be announced on June 1st, 2022.
Judging:
Essay entries will be judged based on their message, clarity, structure, and creativity.
The essay entries will be judged by a panel of judges for the Orthodox Union, and three winners (first, second, and third place) will be determined by those judges in their sole discretion. The odds of being selected to win a prize in this contest depend upon the total number of eligible entries received during the Entry Period
All decisions of the judges are final.
NCSY and/or the Orthodox Union will notify the winner via the contact information provided at the time of entry. NCSY and/or the Orthodox Union in its sole discretion, may disqualify anyone who fails to respond to the notification within five business days.
Prizes:
Winners will select a scholarship for either an NCSY Summer program or Gap Year educational program in Israel.
One $3,000 scholarship (USD) will be awarded to the first-place winner.
One $1,500 scholarship (USD) will be awarded to the second-place winner.
One $500 scholarship (USD) will be awarded to the third-place winner.
Each prize will be awarded as a scholarship toward the cost of the program chosen by the winner. The winners will not be issued an actual monetary prize. Each winner must sign an affidavit of eligibility/liability and public release and will be responsible for paying any fees or taxes associated with the prize. If the winner is under the age of 18, the affidavit must be co-signed by the winner’s legal parent or guardian. All prizes are awarded “as is” and are non-transferable. If the applicable law prohibits NCSY and/or the Orthodox Union from awarding a student the prize, NCSY and/or the Orthodox Union may award the prize in name only.
Online Use:
NCSY and/or the Orthodox Union may select submissions for feature on its website, social media, or display in a publicly accessible contest archive. Such selections will be made in NCSY and/or the Orthodox Union’s sole discretion.
Winners’ names and other identifying information may be posted online on the NCSY and/or the Orthodox Union website and social media.
Conditions of Entry:
All entrants hold NCSY and the Orthodox Union and its respective employees, officers, directors, board members, trustees, interns, volunteers, fellows, research associates, agents, representatives, independent contractors, subsidiaries, affiliates, agents, assigns, or any entity connected with this promotion (the “Indemnified Parties”) harmless from and against all claims of any nature arising in connection with entrant’s participation in the contest and acceptance or use of a prize. The Indemnified Parties are not liable for any costs, damages, injuries, or other claims incurred as a result of entrants’ participation in the contest or winner’s acceptance and usage of a prize. The Indemnified Parties are not responsible for incomplete or misdirected entries, technical or network malfunctions or failures, or causes beyond their control. Entrants are solely responsible for their entries.
Entrants may not submit materials that introduce any software viruses, worms, or other programs designed to damage software, hardware, or telecommunications equipment, or are off-topic, partisan-political, contain advertising, nudity, personal attacks or expletives, or are otherwise abusive, threatening, unlawful, harassing, discriminatory, libelous, obscene, false, sexually explicit, or that infringe on the rights of any third party.
The contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law. NCSY and the Orthodox Union reserve the right to cancel the contest or modify these rules at its discretion. In the event of a dispute regarding the winner, the Orthodox Union reserves the right to award or not award the prize in its sole discretion. The Orthodox Union reserves the right to disqualify any entrant whose entry or conduct appears in any way to: inhibit the enjoyment of others; tamper with the competition; violate these rules or other applicable law or regulation; infringe on the rights of third parties; or act in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner.
Decisions of the Orthodox Union are final and binding.
All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation, and enforceability of these rules or the rights or obligations of entrants, the winners, and Sponsors in connection with the contest shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to any conflict of laws provisions thereof. Any action seeking legal or equitable relief arising out of our relating to the contest or these Official Rules shall be brought only in the courts of the State of New York, located in New York County, New York, or the United States District Court located in New York, New York.