OFFICIAL RULES OF THE U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation CIVICS BEE contest (“OFFICIAL RULES”)
Sponsor:
The sponsor of the contest is the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, 1615 H Street NW, Washington D.C., 20062 (“Sponsor”). The co-sponsor of the contest is Brownsville Chamber of Commerce, 1600 University Blvd Brownsville, TX 78520 (“Co-Sponsor”).
NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. ALL APPLICABLE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL REGULATIONS APPLY.
Eligibility for Entry:
To be eligible to participate in the Brownsville Chamber of Commerce Civics Bee, an applicant (“Entrant”) must:
Be a student in grades six through eight at the time of entry;
Enter only one local chamber competition, which must be in their state of residence;
Submit entries in the English language;
Submit a new, unique entry, if they’ve participated in any past Civics Bees;
Agree to all Civics Bee Rules, including potentially attending the local and state Civics Bee Competitions.
Employees, officers, and directors of the Sponsor or Co-Sponsor and any affiliated entities, and their respective immediate families (parents, spouses, children, siblings) or individuals residing in their household (whether or not related) are not eligible entrants.
Term:
The Contest begins on JANUARY 13, 2023 at 11:59 PM CENTRAL STANDARD TIME (CST) and ends APRIL 22, 2023 at 1:00 PM (CST). All entries must be submitted by FEBRUARY 24, 2023 at 11:59 PM CENTRAL STANDARD TIME (CST). By submitting an entry, each entrant agrees to the Official Rules and warrants that his or her entry complies with all requirements set out in the Official Rules. This is a skills-based contest and chance plays no part in the determination of winners.
Entry Procedure:
The Contest contains three phases:
Phase One: Entrants must submit a 500-word essay in response to the prompt (“Entry”). Entries may be submitted through https://my.reviewr.com/site/CivicsBee/TX/BrownsvilleChamberofCommerce or by mailing a hard copy submission, post-marked by FEBRUARY 24, 2023 to 1600 W University Blvd, Brownsville, TX 78520. Hard copy submissions must include the student’s First Name, Last Name, School Name, ZIP Code, and Guardian Phone Number/Email. Entries received by any other means will not be considered.
Entrants must submit their Entry before FEBRUARY 24, 2023 at 11:59 PM CENTRAL STANDARD TIME (CST)(“Closing Date”).
Phase Two: Twenty (20) local finalists will be selected based on the essay judging criteria listed below (See Judging Criteria for Selection of Local Finalists in Essay Competition). The local finalists will compete live (at the organizer’s sole option, the live event may be held virtually) in a local Civics Bee Competition, which will determine the First, Second, and Third Place Winners of the local competition based on the highest cumulative scores of the local competition.
Phase Three: The top three winners from each local competition will advance to compete in their state’s Civics Bee Competition. These state finalists will compete live (at the organizer’s sole option, the live event may be held virtually). The state finalist with the highest cumulative score will be named the First Place Winner of the State Competition. There will also be a Second Place Winner and Third Place Winner.
Contest Prizes:
Local Competition:
Each local finalist that participates in the Local Civics Bee Competition will receive a certificate commemorating their participation.
There will be one (1) third place winner of each Local Civics Bee Competition (“Third Place Winner”). The Third Place Winner will receive a separate trophy and a cash prize of $125.
There will be one (1) second place winner of each Local Civics Bee Competition (“Second Place Winner”). The Second Place Winner will receive a separate trophy and a cash prize of $250.
There will be one (1) first place winner of each Local Civics Bee Competition (“First Place Winner”). The First Place Winner will receive a separate trophy and a cash prize of $500.
The prize does not include any reimbursement of travel or any other expenses in conjunction with the Local Civics Bee Competition. The prize may not be transferred or assigned by the winner. No cash equivalent will be provided in lieu of the non-cash prize. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute the prize in the event of unavailability.
To claim the cash prize, the winner or Parent or Guardian of the winner must provide a valid taxpayer identification number to the Co-Sponsor. Payment of all federal, state and local taxes are solely the responsibility of the winner(s) (or parent or legal guardian if under the age of 18).
State Competition:
Each state finalist that participates in the State Civics Bee Competition will receive a trophy commemorating their participation.
There will be one (1) third place winner of each State Civics Bee Competition (“Third Place Winner”). The Third Place Winner will receive a separate trophy and a cash prize of $500.
There will be one (1) second place winner of each State Civics Bee Competition (“Second Place Winner”). The Second Place Winner will receive a separate trophy and a cash prize of $750.
There will be one (1) first place winner of each State Civics Bee Competition (“First Place Winner”). The First Place Winner will receive a separate trophy and a cash prize of $1,000.
The prize does not include any reimbursement of travel or any other expenses in conjunction with the State Civics Bee Competition. The prize may not be transferred or assigned by the winner. No cash equivalent will be provided in lieu of the non-cash prize. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute the prize in the event of unavailability.
To claim the cash prize, the winner or Parent or Guardian of the winner must provide a valid taxpayer identification number to the Co-Sponsor. Payment of all federal, state and local taxes are solely the responsibility of the winner(s) (or parent or legal guardian if under the age of 18).
Odds of Winning:
Odds of being named a local or state finalist or being selected as one of the placed winners of the local or state competition depends on the number of eligible applicants received on or before the Closing Date and the skill of the entrants.
Judging Criteria for Selection of Finalists in Essay Competition:
Each Entry will be evaluated by a group of judges selected by the Sponsor. Each judge will use the rubric provided on the submission page to evaluate each Entry. Criteria covered in the rubric include “Demonstrate an Understanding of Civic Principles,” “Acknowledge and Address Opposing Points of View,” “Acknowledge and Address at Least One Founding Principle and One Civic Virtue" “Use Supporting Evidence and Primary Sources,” and “Clearly Describe an Idea that is Innovative or New to Them.” The twenty (20) highest scoring Entries will be selected as the local finalists to compete in the live local competition, and notified via email and/or phone, to participate in the Local Civics Bee Competition.
The parent or legal guardian of a local or state finalist that is under the age of 18 must execute and return any required consent and publicity release within ten (10) days of notification attempt or the finalist will be disqualified, the prize will be forfeited, and an alternate finalist(s) will be chosen.
Process for Civics Bee Competition
The Local Civics Bee Competition will be a live local event with the twenty (20) local finalists answering two rounds of civics-based quiz questions. The first two rounds will eliminate students based on the accuracy of their answers to the questions. The five students with the highest scores at the end of round 2 will advance to round 3. The third round will include questions from a panel of judges regarding the student’s essay submission. The student with the highest cumulative score at the end of the third round will be determined as the First Place Winner of the Local Civics Bee Competition. Second and third place winners will also be announced. The first, second, and third-place winners of the Local Civics Bee Competition will advance to the State Civics Bee Competition.
The state competition will be a live event with the top three finalists from each Local Civics Bee Competition in that state competing against each other. Participants will answer two rounds of civics-based quiz questions. The first two rounds will eliminate students based on the accuracy of their answers to the questions. The three students with the highest scores at the end of round 2 will advance to round 3. The third round will include a 3-minute pitch from each state finalist about the essay they submitted for the local competition. This will be followed by questions from a panel of judges regarding the pitch and essay submission. The student with the highest cumulative score at the end of the third round will be determined as the First Place Winner of the State Civics Bee Competition. Second and third place winners will also be announced.
In the event of a tie at the end of round 2 at either the local or state competition, the students who are tied will participate in a tiebreaker round where they will answer additional civics-based quiz questions until the tie is broken.
Publicity Release:
You agree to grant the Sponsor and Co-Sponsor a non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide license to edit, telecast, exhibit, rerun, reproduce, use, syndicate, license, print, distribute, and otherwise exploit any items (including any photos, videos, audio, or written material) submitted as part of your contest entry, or any portion thereof, in any manner, and in any and all formats and media now known or hereafter devised, without payment to you or any third party. You represent and warrant that you are the parent or legal guardian of the minor and provide your express consent for your child and information about your child to appear in any materials submitted in the Contest or related event or ceremony, and you have the full legal right, power, and authority to grant to the Sponsor and Co-Sponsor this license. Information about your child may include his/her name, address (city and state), likeness, photograph, voice, biographical information, and/or any statements made by him/her regarding the Contest or its sponsors
Each Finalist (or if a minor, their parent or adult legal guardian) must complete, execute and return a declaration of eligibility and publicity release, except where prohibited.
General Rules:
No Entry can be withdrawn after the Closing Date. Neither the Sponsor, Co-Sponsor nor the Entrant’s parents, affiliated entities or agents, are responsible for any illegible, lost, stolen, late, damaged, incomplete, mutilated or misdirected applications or other documents. Entrants are responsible for ensuring proper contact information has been submitted and is maintained throughout the Civics Bee to allow communications about the Civics Bee.
Erroneous or false information provided in the Entry will result in immediate disqualification of the applicants. Sponsor(s) and the Judges otherwise retain the right to disqualify any applicant in their sole discretion.
If, for any reason, the Civics Bee is not capable of running as planned, Sponsor, Co-Sponsor reserve the right in their sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify, or suspend the Civics Bee at any time. Sponsor and Co-Sponsor reserve the right to amend the rules of the contest at any time.
By creating an Entry, or by being an Entrant, you understand that there is no joint venture, partnership, employment, or agency relation between you and the Sponsor or Co-Sponsor arising from any Entry.
The decisions of the Judges are final, and Entrants specifically agree that the decision of the Judges and any decision of Sponsor or Co-Sponsor is not subject to review or appeal in any forum whatsoever, including courts of law.
Any information provided as part of this Contest is provided according to the website’s Privacy Policy, as they may be amended from time to time, and as otherwise provided for in these Rules. Entrants agree that personal data, especially name and address, may be processed, shared, and otherwise used for the purposes and within the context of the Contest and any other purposes outlined in these Official Rules and according to the website’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. The data may also be used by the Sponsor in order to verify the participant’s First Name, Last Name, School Name, ZIP Code, Guardian’s Phone Number/Email, or to otherwise verify the participant’s eligibility to participate in the Contest. Participants have the right to access, review, rectify, or cancel any personal data held by the Sponsor by writing to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, 1615 H Street NW, Washington D.C. 20062, civics@uschamber.com.
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY. By entering the Contest, entrant agrees that (1) any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or in connection with the Contest, or any prizes awarded, shall be resolved individually without resort to any form of class action; (2) any claims, judgment, and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering the Contest, but in no event attorney’s fees; and (3) under no circumstances, will any entrant be permitted to obtain any award for, and entrant hereby waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased and any other damages, other than damages for actual out-of-pocket expenses. But in no event shall the liability of the Sponsor or Co-Sponsor exceed $100.
Winners List. To request a list of the names of the top three winners, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Brownsville Chamber of Commerce, 1600 W University Blvd, Brownsville, TX 78520.
