Save the Children's 2010 Valentine's Day Card Contest

Save the Children's Valentine's Day 2010 Card Contest empowers young people to use their artistic skills and creativity to help fight child poverty right here in the United States. 

The theme for the contest is "Uniting a Generation." Contest participants can create cards that use the heart image as a symbol for values such as unity, loyalty, and responsibility. Contestants are encouraged to be very creative and inventive in their design.

In collaboration with Save the Children, The American Federation of Teachers will provide lesson plan activities for teachers to use to help engage students around the theme — Uniting a Generation — and to integrate into their instruction the important values that will help students work to fight childhood poverty in the United States.

Five designs, representing each of five age groups from pre-school through high school, will be chosen by kids during a December online voting contest. Each of the five winners will receive a $500 savings bond and the artist whose design receives the highest number of votes will have an opportunity to meet Save the Children artist ambassador, actor Julianne Moore.

The five (5) winning designs will be printed on cards and used to create a Valentine's Day card set which will be offered as part of a gift with a donation to benefit Save the Children's programs that help kids in need in the United States.The cards will be promoted via public relations (online, print and broadcast outreach) by Save the Children and Julianne Moore.

In addition, there may be opportunities for the artist with the most votes during the online contest to join Julianne Moore during TV appearances to promote the cards in early 2010.

Download the forms and rules here:

Entry Form/Parental Consent  
Instructions/How It Works  
Official Rules And Regulations  

How The Art Contest Works

At Participating Schools: 

1) Artists do not directly submit designs to Save the Children. Instead, individual schools may select and submit one design from students enrolled in each of the following grade categories:

        Category 1: Pre-Kindergarten – Grade 2
        Category 2: Grades 3-5
        Category 3: Grades 6-8
        Category 4: Grades 9-10
        Category 5: Grades 11-12

The designs selected by the school will be the "Submissions" reviewed by Save the Children judges. Save the Children will select 5 designs from each grade category for the online judging.

2)  If more than one student in a grade category submits a design for consideration, the schools must develop a method for choosing only one design from that grade category for submission to Save the Children.

3)  Each school should select its own Submissions (up to one from each grade category). Submissions must be sent to Save the Children and received by December 1, 2009, 6PM ET. Save the Children is not responsible for lost or delayed mail.

4) The school principal, an art teacher or other academic official may put forward the school's Submission. Each school should coordinate its Submissions as it is limited to proposing only one design for each grade category.

Submission Requirements:

1)  Designs may be submitted in any 2-dimensional medium — drawing, painting, photos, digital tools, collages — and should not be any larger than 8 ½ x 11 inches or smaller than 3 ½ x 5 inches.

2)  Digital designs must be submitted on a CD-ROM or flash drive along with a printed copy.

3)  Only original designs are eligible; any design that is already owned or copyrighted by another person or company is not eligible to win (be creative, don't copy anyone else's designs).

Online Contest to Select Winning Artists:

1) Submissions must be sent to Save the Children and received by December 1, 2009, 6:00PM ET. Save the Children is not responsible for lost or delayed mail.

2) Only hard copies delivered to the address below will be accepted (via USPS, FedEx, UPS, messenger, etc). No electronic or e-mailed submissions will be accepted.

3) Submissions should be sent, postage pre-paid, to:

Valentine's Day Art Contest
Save the Children
2000 L Street, NW, Suite 500
Washington, D.C. 20036

4) Each design submitted must be accompanied by a completed Entry Form/Parental Consent. Incomplete Entry/Parental Consent Forms will disqualify a submission.

5) Online voting will take place from December 14 - 22 at www.savethechildren.org/cardcontest.

If you have questions, please visit the 2010 Valentine's Day Card Art Contest webpage at www.savethechildren.org/cardcontest or email us at cardcontest@savechildren.org.

Winning Artist Eligibility:

1)  Children of employees of Save the Children or American Federation of Teachers are not eligible to win prizes (but children of members of AFT are eligible).

2)  Contest is open to children up to the age of 18 that are residents of the United States, its territories and possessions.

Prizes:

• There will be FIVE (5) Winning Artists (one from each grade category) and each winning artist will receive a $500 U.S. Savings Bond. Restrictions apply, please see Official Rules and Regulations.
• Winning designs will appear on Save the Children's Valentine's Day cards for 2010, and from time to time may appear on other Save the Children products or in connection with Save the Children's services, at Save the Children's sole discretion. Designs may not appear on product exactly as submitted.
• The artist with the largest number of votes will be given an opportunity to meet actor Julianne Moore.

General Information for Teachers and School Officials:

1)  Each school may submit one design per grade category. For example: A K-12 school may submit one design for each grade category; a middle school may submit one entry for the 6-8 grade category, and a high school may submit two designs. ONE for the 9-10 and ONE for 11-12 grade categories.

2)  Each participating school should devise its own procedure for selecting the one design from each grade category for submission to Save the Children for the final online voting.

3)  To avoid confusion or multiple submissions, teachers submitting on behalf of a student or students should inform the school principal, even if the principal is not making the actual submission.

Official Rules and Regulations

• Submissions must be received by December 1, 2009. Save the Children is not responsible for lost or delayed mail. Online voting begins December 14 and contest expires on December 23, 2009. Winners will be notified by phone and email (if provided). A list of winners may be obtained by emailing cardcontest@savechildren.org  or by sending a self-addressed envelope to:
  
  

  Winner's List
  Valentine's Day Art Contest
  Save the Children
  2000 L Street, NW, Suite 500
  Washington, D.C. 20036

• A total of FIVE (5) Winning Artists will be selected (one from each grade group pre-kindergarten -2, grades 3-5, grades 6-8, grades 9-10, and grades 11-12).
  
  
  • Each Winning Artist will receive a $500 U.S. Savings Bond, subject to restrictions.
  • Winning designs that are assigned will appear on Save the Children's Valentine's Day cards in 2010, and may appear on other Save the Children products, at Save the Children's sole discretion (Artwork may not appear on product exactly as submitted).
  • Winning Artist receiving the highest number of valid votes during the online judging period will be given an opportunity to meet actor Julianne Moore.
  • All prizes will be awarded.
    
    
• RESTRICTION: In exchange for acceptance of a $500 U.S. Savings Bond, each Winning Artist agrees to assign all copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property rights in her/his winning design to Save the Children Federation, Inc., 54 Wilton Road, Westport, CT 06880. A copy of the Assignment shall be provided upon winning.
  
  
• Submissions must be accompanied by a completed Entry / Parental Consent Form. Incomplete Forms will disqualify a submission.
  
  
• Only one submission will be accepted per grade category, per school. Submissions will be accepted from teachers, principals and school officials only. Students and parents/legal guardians may not submit designs individually.
  
  
• By entering the contest, contestants and their parents, guardians, and/or legal representatives warrant and represent that the design is their sole and original work product; and, release, discharge, indemnify and agree to hold Save the Children Federation, Inc., its directors, officers, trustees, employees, agents, attorneys, representatives, successors and assigns harmless from all claims, demands, damages, causes of action, losses, liabilities, injuries or obligations, direct or indirect, known or unknown of any kind, nature or description whatsoever which the winner, winners' parents, guardians, heirs, executors, successors or assigns may have or claim to have against Save the Children Federation, Inc. its directors, officers, trustees, employees, agents, attorneys, representatives, successors and assigns arising out of participation in or acceptance of any prize in connection with the contest, including any future use of the design.
  
  
• The prizes being awarded may constitute income under applicable federal, state and local tax laws and winners shall be solely responsible for payment of any and all taxes which may be due with respect to the acceptance of the prize.
  
  
• The contest is open to children up to age 18 that are residents of the United States, its territories and possessions.
  
  
• By submitting an entry, each contestant and his/her parent/legal guardian agree: they have read, understand and will comply with these official rules; and, or to the extent permitted by law, consent to the use of the Contestant's name, likeness and/or biographical data for purposes of advertising and promotion by Save the Children, without further consent, compensation or approval.
  
  
• Original designs submitted with contest entry becomes the property of Save the Children and cannot be returned.
  
  
• Winning designs are not guaranteed to be used on Save the Children licensed merchandise or in connection with any other Save the Children good or service.
  
  
• Children of employees of Save the Children or American Federation of Teachers are not eligible to win prizes (however, children of AFT members are eligible).
  
  
• No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law.