The 2017 Wellness Through the Arts
Student Essay/Video Contest (WTA)
Rules and Entry 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 2017 Wellness Through the Arts Student Essay/Video Contest (WTA) is governed by the following rules, terms and conditions. By participating in the contest, you agree to these official rules and the decisions of the judges, which are final and binding. The Ben Vereen Awards, the Wellness Trough the Arts Student Essay/Video Contest, the affiliate companies, managers, representatives and attorneys, Nederlander of San Diego LLC, its producers, sponsors, and affiliates, reserve the right to change these rules or cancel the contest at any time, at their sole discretion.
1. Who is Eligible to Participate?
Category 1: Individual Student Essay/Video Projects: All currently enrolled San Diego County students, Grades 5 through 12 are eligible to enter. Please submit either a written essay (maximum 2 pages); or a video essay using your Smartphone or digital video camera (maximum 2 minutes). The preferred way of receiving your written essays is as a word document attached to an email. The preferred way of receiving a video submission, is for you to post it as a YouTube video and then send us the link.
Category 2: School Group Video Projects: Collaborative group projects are inspired by the concept of using healthy activities to overcome the challenges in the lives of students. Each group project should be sponsored by a teacher of Grades 5-12 at a public or private school in San Diego County. You are encouraged to incorporate Music, Dance and Theatre into your project. Please submit your entry as a video (maximum 5 minutes). The preferred way of receiving a video submission, is for you to post it as a YouTube video and then send us the link.
2. The suggested title of the essay/video project is, “My Best Day.”
3. First tell us about the greatest challenge in your life. Is it obesity, diabetes, low self-esteem or other health and wellness issues? Or is it bullying, economic problems, family problems, or other social issues? (If you have any questions on the appropriateness of a topic, please contact us.)
4. Then tell us how you have risen above these troubles and improved your life with your favorite activity or hobby. Is it the performing arts, sports, scouts, 4-H, a volunteer organization, or a faith based institution? Everyone’s story will be different and unique. You can help others by sharing your story!
5. There is no fee to participate in the Wellness Through the Arts (WTA) Student Essay/Video Contest.
6. Only one entry per person or group per calendar year.
7. Individual previous winners may not enter.
8. A signed copy of the Rules and Entry Form must be included with each submittal.
9. Three signatures are required on this document. It must be signed by
a. The Student
b. A Parent or Guardian (If the student 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.)
d. The preferred way to receive your completed Entry Forms and Talent Release Forms is as scanned documents, or i-phone digital photographs sent as an email attachment to .
10. It is acceptable to consult with a teacher/counselor/official on the project for things such as spelling, grammar, format and technical issues as long as the story remains truly your own.
11. All essays and videos (YouTube links) must be received by 11:59pm on Tuesday, February 28, 2017. Early submissions are encouraged!
12. Winners will be announced by Late-March 2017.
13. Essays should not exceed two-pages 8 ½” x 11” one-sided, single-spaced pages and must be submitted in the form of a Word document attached to an email.
14. Please be sure to put your name, age, grade, teacher and school at the top of your paper.
15. Please make sure to submit the completed Entry Form with your paper.
16. The preferred way of receiving a video submission, is for you to post it as a YouTube video and then send us the link.
17. The entries will be adjudicated by a panel of professionals.
18. Up to five Individual Essays may be selected for a special presentation at the 2017 Ben Vereen Awards.
19. The decisions of the judges are final.
20. The WTA producers or their affiliates may create a musical theater production number using the contest submission essays and videos as the source material.
21. The WTA musical theater production number may be presented live at the 2017 Ben Vereen Awards on Sunday, May 28, 2017 at the Balboa Theatre.
22. The authors, whose work is selected for inclusion in the presentation, will be honored at the event.
23. 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 Ben Vereen Awards and The Wellness Through the Arts Student Essay/Video Contest (WTA), 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 WTA and (ii) the right to use your name and the name of your school in promotions, productions and other publications.
24. The judges are looking for thought-provoking, creative and inspiring works.
25. 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, for example.
26. Only original works will be accepted.
27. If there are persons in your video, you are responsible for obtaining the necessary releases from the individuals in the video, and you must be able to provide copies of those releases to WTA. The WTA Talent Release Form is available for download from our website for this purpose.
28. Entrants must not infringe on the rights of any other video or filmmaker.
29. 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.
30. 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, not damaging the environment, and not being in poor taste.
31. 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, in entering the Wellness Through the Arts Student Essay/Video Contest (WTA), agrees to all rules and regulations defined in the official rules and agrees to release the Ben Vereen Awards, the Wellness Through the Arts Student Essay/Video Contest (WTA), all affiliated companies, managers, representatives and attorneys, The Nederlander Organization and affiliated companies and partnerships, Nederlander of San Diego LLC dba Broadway/San Diego, its producers, sponsors, and affiliates, from any and all claims arising in any way from the submission of materials by or on behalf of the applicant. The applicant also grants a non-exclusive license, without compensation, throughout the world and in perpetuity, to the WTA, its producers, sponsors, and affiliates to:
A) Use the winning contest entries for WTA educational efforts 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 WTA websites, and/or other websites as determined by the WTA, its producers, sponsors and affiliates.
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 WTA, Nederlander of San Diego LLC dba Broadway/San Diego, its producers, sponsors, and affiliates 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 person or group submitting the enclosed contest entry to the WTA indicates that he/she holds all necessary rights for the submission of the project and to grant the rights granted to WTA. Participants also agree to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Ben Vereen Awards, The Wellness Through the Arts Student Essay/Video Contest, and all affiliated companies, managers, representatives and attorneys, The Nederlander Organization and affiliated companies and partnerships, Nederlander of San Diego LLC dba Broadway/San Diego, its producers, sponsors, and affiliates, 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, 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 this release carefully, fully understand its content, and voluntarily agree to its terms.
Applicant Name (Print): ______
Applicant Signature: ______Date: ______
Street Address: ______
City: ______State: ______Zip: ______
Phone: ______Email: ______
Name of School: ______
Year in School: ______Age: ______
Gender (M or F?):______
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 Rick Hernandez, Project Manager at (619) 564-3060 or . Items submitted by US Post may be mailed to Wellness Through the Arts Student Essay/Video Contest (WTA) 3666 4th Ave., San Diego, CA 92103.
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