“Hip, Happy and Healthy”
Essay Contest

Contest Rules

Welcome to the 2009 “Hip, Happy and Healthy” Essay Contest sponsored by The Washington Post and The Children’s Inn at NIH. The contest is open to all 7th graders (as of September 1, 2009) in the Washington region and is intended to promote healthy lifestyles. Seventh graders in any Washington D.C., Maryland, or Virginia public, private, charter or home school is eligible to submit an essay. A total of four winners will be chosen; one Grand Prize Winner will receive a visit to his or her school by a Washington Redskin and a $500 cash prize. Winning essays may be published on The Washington Post’s community relations web page. The contest begins on Sept. 1, 2009 and ends on January 29, 2010. The contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws.

Contest Guidelines

To enter the contest, please complete and submit the Entry Form below, available on September 1, 2009. You must also include an essay on the topic: “What does staying hip, happy and healthy mean to you?” Essays must be a maximum of 500 words, original (that means written and created by you) and typed in English. Essays shorter than 500 words are acceptable; essays longer will be judged on the first 500 words. The Entry Form and Essay must be received together by The Washington Post no later than January 29, 2010. There are no exceptions.

Only one entry per individual is allowed.

All essays become the property of The Washington Post and The Children’s Inn at NIH and will not be acknowledged or returned. The winning essays may be printed on The Washington Post’s community relations web page. Entry constitutes permission for sponsors to use entrant’s name, city, state, school and essay for purposes of advertising, promotion and publicity without additional compensation, permission or notification

Entry Form 

Please remember, essays must be received by January 29, 2010. No exceptions. Click here for entry form. 

Eligibility

Contest open to all 7th graders (as of September 1, 2009) in Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia public, private, charter and home schools.

Winner Selection Process and Notification

On or about March 15, 2010, a qualified panel of judges will choose four winners. Essays will be selected based on the following criteria:

  1. Originality: 5 points
  2. Relevance to the topic: 5 points
  3. Grammar: 5 points
  4. Style/Voice: 5 points

Final winners, their families and school teacher and principal will be invited to attend an awards ceremony at The Washington Post in April, 2010, exact date to be announced.

Prizes

One Grand Prize Winner  

  • $500 cash prize
  • A Redskins player will visit winner’s school

Three Top Place Winners (One each from D.C., Maryland and Virginia)

  • $300 cash prize each
  • Tickets to a D.C. professional sports game

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