3rd ANNUAL WORLD TELECOMMUNICATION INFORMATION AND SOCIETY DAY –Essay Competition Rules/judging Criteria
RULES

* Students may send in one (1) completed Essay (not exceeding 600 words) on the topic :
“Protecting Children in Cyberspace” via any of the following:

EMAIL
FAX
STANDARD MAIL
* The World Telecommunication Information and Society Day Essay Competition is open to or resident of any member country of CANTO who, is enrolled as a student at the time and is between the ages of 15-17. All other entries will be disqualified.
* CANTO and employees and direct relatives are ineligible.
* Each student may enter only one (1) essay.
* The essay must use the title: “Protecting Children in Cyberspace”
* The essay must be typed or computer-printed, double-spaced, and in English. Handwritten essays or essays presented in any other way will be disqualified.
* Each essay entry must include:

a. Name/ Address /Age of student
b. Name of Parent/ Guardian
c. Contact information (Address , Email and Telephone number ( including area code)
* Deadline for receipt of entries is May 1st 2009
* Essays must be original – CANTO reserve the right to disqualify any entry deemed inappropriate for publication, at their discretion.

Submission Information
Completed essays must be addressed: WTISD- Essay Competition and delivered either via Fax, Email, or Mail to:

Tricia Balthazar, Service Development Manager – Email: tbalthazar@canto.org 67 Picton St, Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago

Phone + 1(868)622 5582/3770/4781. Fax+1 (868) 622 3751 website: www.canto.org

* All essays and rights to the publication of the essay becomes the property of CANTO. Entry (Essay) may be edited, used in whole or in part for promotional or any other purpose, including placing them online (e.g., on www.canto.org without any additional compensation. CANTO reserves the right to use prizewinners’ names and hometowns in any advertising or promotional materials relating to this competition without further notification, permission, or compensation to the winners.
* Winners will be selected before May 17th 2008, and will be notified via email/phone. Winners entry will also be posted online at http://www.canto.org/canto2009/
* All winners will be required to submit a self portrait following notification
* 1st prize winner will be required to write a follow up essay after the CANTO 2009 experience
* Airfare of equal or lesser value will be awarded to the first prize winner in the event that he/she resides in the host country of the CANTO Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition
* By submitting an essay, each student acknowledges his or her understanding of and compliance with these rules.

Prizes

Prizes are nontransferable and will be awarded as follows:

1. 1st Place:
* Trip for 2 to attend CANTO 2009 in Trinidad & Tobago
* Hotel Accommodation
* One Notebook Computer plus US$1000.00
2. 2nd Place: A Notebook Computer plus US$500.00
3. 3rd Place: One High End Mobile Phone plus US$250.00
4. 4th Place: One High End Mobile Phone

Judging Criteria
Essays will be judged by screening groups consisting of a judging panel. The decisions of the judges will be final. Essays will be judged over a score of (100) points on the following criteria:
1. Creativity /Originality: Entries must be the students’ own work, in the student’s may include personal experiences and thoughtful observations. Writing must student has carefully examined and thought through the topic. (20 pts)
2. Educational/Technical Value: The essay must provide educational value to judges/audience (30pts)
3. Organization/Clarity: The material is presented in an orderly and logical sequence and must reveal the students thinking, with an organized presentation and development of theme. (25pts)
4. Mechanics: The essay should contain correct punctuation, spelling, and grammar (25pts)