The “Why I Love America” Essay Contest
Our country is in crisis. As statues of great Americans such as George Washington are pulled down, the very idea of the United States, and the value and dignity of the American way of life, are being called into question.Responding to this challenge begins with each of us being clear about what makes the United States good and beautiful and worth defending. We need to be clear about why we love America.
To this end, The Epoch Times invites you to take part in our “Why I Love America” essay contest.
In an essay of 500 to 800 words, explain what moves you most about the United States—why you think it is worth defending. You may do so in the manner that suits you. For instance, you can focus on one aspect of the United States; take a big picture, comprehensive approach; or simply tell an illustrative anecdote from your own life. Make the judges feel that America is worth celebrating.
The grand prize will be $1,000. A year’s subscription to The Epoch Times will be awarded to several, select runners up. Any entries may be published online and in print at the discretion of The Epoch Times.
Submissions must be received by 11:59 p.m. EDT on August 21, 2020.
Submissions may be uploaded to: EpochContest.com
or emailed to [email protected]
or sent by first-class mail to: Essay Contest/The Epoch Times/229 W. 28th St. 7th Floor, N.Y., N.Y. 10001.
Please send any questions to [email protected]
By entering this contest, the entrant indicates that he or she has read and agrees to the terms and conditions, which are below:
Terms and Conditions
- The promoter of “Why I Love America” essay contest (“the Competition”) is The Epoch Times Association (“The Epoch Times”) whose office is at 229 W 28th St, New York, NY 10001. The Epoch Times is part of Epoch Media Group, a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization funded by sponsors and individual donations.
- The Competition is open to persons 18 years of age and older.
- Employees of Epoch Media Group, its affiliates, or their respective advertising, public relations, accounting or legal firms, and immediate family members or individuals living in the same household of such employees, are not eligible to enter the Competition or win a prize. For purposes of these eligibility rules, “immediate family members” mean spouse, children, parents, parents of spouse, siblings, and spouse’s siblings.
- Each entry (“Entry” or “Work”) should be an essay of at least 500 and no more than 800 words about why the author loves America.
- The entrant will provide his or her first and last names, phone number, and email address on the Entry.
- The Competition is void where prohibited by law.
- Registration in the Competition is considered acceptance of these Terms and Conditions of the Competition.
- There is no entry fee to enter the Competition, and there is no requirement to subscribe to The Epoch Times.
- Entry must be the entrant’s own original work.
- Each entrant may submit multiple articles, up to five (5) by the deadline.
- The Competition will begin on July 15, 2020 and end at 11:59 p.m. EDT on August 21, 2020.
- By entering the Competition, each entrant agrees that The Epoch Times may use the Entry for the publicity of the Competition (or future editions of the Competition), credited to the entrant.
- Entrants represent and warrant that the Entry is original. Entrants further represent and warrant that the Entry does not infringe on any copyright, proprietary right, or any other right whatsoever of any other party, or on the privacy of others. Entrant represents and warrants that he or she has full power and authority to enter this Competition.
- Entrant represents and warrants, to the best of entrant’s knowledge, that the Entry contains no matter that is scandalous, obscene or libelous, or otherwise contrary to the law. Entrant will indemnify, defend, and hold harmless The Epoch Times against any and all claims, suits, and/or judgments, including costs, expenses, damages, and legal fees based on and arising from entrant’s violation of the rights of others.
- The following are examples of reasons The Epoch Times may disqualify an Entry: Entry does not comply with these Terms and Conditions, the contest guidelines, or rules; Entry or information submitted with an Entry are found to contain false information; entrant is not eligible to enter the competition; or entrant cannot be contacted. This list is not an exhaustive list of reasons The Epoch Times may disqualify an Entry.
- The Epoch Times reserves the right to reject any Entry for any reason at its absolute discretion.
- The Epoch Times may at its discretion publish any Entry online and/or in print.
- Stories chosen by judges for publication will be proofread prior to publishing. Minor editing may be done to correct grammar, punctuation, or format changes caused by conversion to electronic format.
- Works currently being considered for publication elsewhere may be submitted. It is up to the author to consult the editors of the other publication to make sure that entry in this Competition will not interfere with his/her opportunity for publication in the other publication.
- A previously published work may be submitted. It is the author’s responsibility to ensure that he or she has the right to re-publish the work, and the author must disclose details of prior publication with his or her submission (links or other details if links are not available). The Epoch Times reserves the right to confer with the other publication to verify that Entry is eligible for publication by The Epoch Times.
- The Epoch Times is not responsible for any problems with or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, online systems, servers and providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any email entry to be received on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website, human errors of any kind, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to participants’ or any other persons’ computers related to or resulting from participation, uploading and downloading of any materials related to the Competition.
- By entering the Competition, all entrants agree to release, discharge and hold harmless The Epoch Times and its partners, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising agencies, agents and their employees, officers, directors, representatives from any claims, losses, and damages arising out of their participation in the Competition or any Competition-related activities and the acceptance and use, misuse, or possession of any prize awarded.
- The judges will be a panel chosen by The Epoch Times.
- Judging criteria for winners will include:
- Originality of topic
- Embodying contest theme
- Overall organization, writing style, and spelling, grammar, and punctuation
- Adherence to contest rules
- The decision of the judges is final.
- The “Grand Prize” winner will receive $1,000.
- There will be a select number of runners-up selected who will each receive a one-year subscription to The Epoch Times.
- The “Grand Prize” winner and the runners-up will be notified via email. Winners must confirm acceptance of prize via return email no later than 7 (seven) days after the initial email is sent. Non-reply will forfeit the prize.
- Awards are non-exchangeable, non-refundable, and non-transferrable.
- All taxes associated with any prize acceptance are the winner’s sole responsibility. If taxes are applicable to the prize(s), it is the winner’s responsibility to pay to the appropriate authorities.
- Payments to winners are subject to the express requirement that winners submit to The Epoch Times all documentation requested by it to permit compliance with all applicable state, federal, local, and foreign laws.
- By entering the Competition, entrants remain the owner of the copyrights and other intellectual property rights in the Entry, but their entry grants, without any compensation, to The Epoch Times an irrevocable, perpetual, world-wide non-exclusive license to reproduce, distribute, display, publish, and create derivative works of the submitted works, including translation into other languages, along with a name credit, either in connection with the Competition and promotion of the Competition or under other circumstances, and in any media now and hereafter known, including but not limited to: publication both online and offline; publication on the website of the project and social media; publication in CD-ROM format; publication in print media, and publication in any other medium, whether presently existing or not.
- For those entries that are selected as winners and subsequently published by The Epoch Times, if the author reprints, reproduces, or republishes his or her winning Entry in any form, including electronic publication on the internet, the author shall include a notice that the work was a winner in The Epoch Times “Why I Love America” essay contest, specifying the month and year of publication, as well as a URL link to The Epoch Times’ website where the work may be found. If the Entry is adapted modified, or changed in any respect, the author shall include notice that the work has changed since its original publication by The Epoch Times. On request, the author shall provide The Epoch Times with a copy of the page of the reprint or derivative work that includes the notices required by this paragraph.
- Entrants agree that personal data may be processed, shared, and otherwise used for the purpose and within the contest and any other purposes outlined in these official rules. The data may also be used in order to verify the entrant’s identity, postal address, and telephone number or to otherwise verify the entrant’s eligibility to participate in the contest, and/or to third parties as otherwise required by law. Entrants have the right to access, review, rectify, or cancel any personal data held by The Epoch Times by writing to [email protected]. Personal data will be used by The Epoch Times and its affiliates exclusively for the purpose stated herein.
- Each entrant consents to the use by The Epoch Times and its related companies, both before and after the closing date of the Competition for an unlimited time, of the winner’s image, photograph and name for publicity purposes (in any medium, including still photographs and films, and on the internet, including any websites hosted by The Epoch Times and its related companies) and in advertising, marketing or promotional material without additional compensation or prior notice.
- The Epoch Times shall use and take care of any personal information entrants supply to it as described in its privacy policy, a copy of which can be seen at http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/privacy-notice/, and in accordance with data protection legislation. By entering the Competition, entrants agree to the collection, retention, usage and distribution of their personal information in order to process and contact them about their Competition entry.
- The Epoch Times reserves the right to vary the Terms and Conditions as may be deemed necessary.
- The Epoch Times reserves the right to cancel the Competition as may be deemed necessary.
- This Competition shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York. Each party hereby irrevocably consents to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of any state or federal court located within New York County, in the State of New York, in connection with any matter arising out of these Terms & Conditions.
