Hobbies Poetry Contest Official Rules

OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. 

BY PARTICIPATING IN THE K12 POETRY CONTEST (“CONTEST”), EACH PARTICIPANT REPRESENTS AND WARRANTS THAT HE OR SHE MEETS THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS DETAILED WITHIN THESE OFFICIAL RULES, AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT FAILURE TO MEET ALL ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION. ENTRY CONSTITUTES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES. ALL ENTRIES (INCLUDING VIDEOS AND PHOTOS) AND REQUESTS BECOME THE PROPERTY OF K12 INC. (THE “SPONSOR”) AND WILL NOT BE RETURNED OR ACKNOWLEDGED.

Contest begins at 09:00:00 AM Eastern Time (“ET”) on 04/03/17 and ends at 05:00:00 PM ET on 04/28/17 (“Contest Entry Period”).

ELIGIBILITY: Contest is open to legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia. Contestants must be age 13 or older at time of entry (“Entrant” or “You”). Employees of Sponsor and its respective parent company, subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, retailers, distributors (collectively, “Contest Entities”), and their immediate family members and/or those living in the same household of each are not eligible to enter or win. Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. Void where prohibited by law. Sponsor’s decisions are final and binding on all matters.

HOW TO ENTER: Visit stories.k12.com (“Website”) and follow all onscreen instructions to complete the official entry form, including providing a poetic composition detailing what your hobby/hobbies is/are along with a photo or video (entry form, photo or video are collectively referred herein as the “entry”). Uploading photo or video is not required. Video can be in .avi, .mpeg, .mpg, .mp4, .mov or .wmv format and should not exceed 1GB in size or exceed two (2) minutes. Photo/video must be taken by Entrant (or Entrant must own the rights to the photo/video if it was not taken by him or her), and can be in color or black & white and uploaded in compliance with the Contest requirements. Photo can be in JPEG, PNG or GIF format and no larger than 50MB file size. All entries must be received during the Contest Entry Period. For the purposes of these Official Rules, receipt of an entry occurs when Sponsor’s server (or Website) records the entry information (resulting from entrant clicking on the “Submit” button). Once you submit your entry, your submission is final and may not be modified or edited. Any automated computer receipt (such as one confirming delivery of entry) does not constitute proof of actual receipt by Sponsor for purposes of these Official Rules. Entrants are subject to all notices posted on Website, including, but not limited to Sponsor’s privacy policy. All entries eligible for the Contest will be prescreened by the Sponsor within five (5) business days of submission prior to posting on the Website.

By submitting video or photo, Entrant understands and grants permission for his/her video or photo to be posted on Website for viewing by visitors to the Website. Sponsor and Contest Entities are not responsible for any unauthorized third party use of any video and/or photo.

Except where prohibited by law, entry submission grants the Sponsor the right in perpetuity to reproduce, publish, use, edit, adjust, modify, abridge, condense, sublicense, and excerpt such video and/or photo/essay and/or comments in any way, in any and all media, without limitation and without compensation to Entrant. Submission of video, photo, and/or essay in the Contest further constitutes Entrant’s consent to irrevocably assign and transfer to Sponsor any and all rights, title and interest in and to the video, photo, and/or essay, including, without limitation, all copyrights. The Sponsor may publish and/or promote a video and/or photo and/or essay or a portion of the video and/or photo and/or essay. If a video and/or photo and/or essay or a portion of video, photo, and/or essay is selected for publication and/or promotional purposes, it does not imply that it is a winning video or photo or essay in this Contest nor does it create a confidential relationship between you and the Sponsor or any of its respective affiliates or subsidiaries.

Video dialog/audio and/or essay must be in English and must be the original work of the Entrant, may not have been previously published, may not have won previous awards, and must not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity. If the video or photo/essay contains any material or elements that are not owned by the Entrant and/or which are subject to the rights of third parties, the Entrant is responsible for obtaining, prior to submission of the video or photo/essay, any and all releases and consents necessary to permit the use and exhibition of the video by Sponsor in the manner set forth in these Official Rules, including, without limitation, name and likeness permissions from any person who appears in or is identifiable in the video. If any identifiable person appearing in the video is under the age of majority in his/her state of residence, the parent or legal guardian is required to provide permission. Sponsor reserves the right to request proof of these permissions in a form acceptable to Sponsor from any Entrant at any time. By submitting a video or photo/essay, Entrant (or, if an eligible minor, his/her parent or legal guardian) warrants and represents that he/she and any persons appearing or who are identifiable in the video or photo consent to the submission and use of the video in this Contest, and to its posting on Website in connection with the Contest. Entrant agrees to fully indemnify and defend Sponsor and the Contest Entities from any and all third party infringement claims that may arise out of its breach of these representations and warranties.

Entries must comply with the following content guidelines to be eligible:

  • Content cannot be sexually explicit or suggestive, unnecessarily violent or derogatory of any ethnic, racial, gender, religious, professional or age group, profane or pornographic, or contain nudity;
  • Content cannot promote alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco, firearms/weapons (or the use of any of the foregoing), any activities that may appear unsafe or dangerous, or any particular political agenda or message;
  • Content cannot be obscene or offensive, endorse any form of hate or hate group;
  • Content cannot defame, misrepresent or contain disparaging remarks about other people or companies;
  • Excepting that of the Sponsor, content cannot contain trademarks, logos or trade dress (such as distinctive packaging or building exteriors/interiors) owned by others, or advertise or promote any brand or product of any kind, without permission, or contain any personal identification, such as license plate numbers, personal names, e-mail addresses or street addresses;
  • Excepting that of the Sponsor, content cannot contain copyrighted materials owned by others (including photographs, sculptures, paintings and other works of art or images published on or in websites, television, movies or other media) without permission;
  • Content cannot contain materials embodying the names, likenesses, photographs, or other indicia identifying any person, living or dead, without permission;
  • Content cannot communicate messages or images inconsistent with the positive images and/or goodwill to which Sponsor wishes to associate; and
  • Content cannot depict and cannot itself be in violation of any law or otherwise.

Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any entry for any reason, in its sole and absolute discretion.

All eligible entries for the Contest will be posted at Website for public viewing and/or voting. Each visitor to the Website will have the opportunity to vote for his or her favorite Entry until 05:00:00 PM ET on 04/28/17 (“Public Voting Period”). PUBLIC VIEWING AND VOTING IS SOLELY FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES AND HAS NO BEARING ON WHICH ENTRIES ARE DETERMINED WINNERS. Voting generated by script, macro or other automated means or with the intent to impair the integrity of the rating process, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion, will be void.

After the conclusion of Public Voting Period, a panel of judges consisting of K12 personnel (“Judges”) will determine the three (3) Contest winners per grade utilizing on the following judging criteria: (a) most creative interpretation of the theme (50%), (b) Concise and accurate use of language (25%), and (c) Work that engages and lifts the hearts of its readers (25%). Judges decisions are final and binding. Only winners will be notified. The Sponsor reserves the right to not award a prize if, in its sole and absolute discretion, it does not receive a sufficient number of eligible and qualified entries.

TIES: In the event of a tie, the Entry from among the tied entries with the highest score in most creative interpretation of the theme will be declared the winner. In the event of a further tie, the Entry from among the tied entries with the highest score received for best technical composition of the photograph or video will be declared the winner. In the event of further ties, the Judges will make the final determination as to which entry will win.

The Sponsor reserves the right to not award a prize if, in its sole and absolute discretion, it does not receive a sufficient number of eligible and qualified entries for a given category.

CONTEST PRIZES & CORRESPONDING APPROXIMATE RETAIL VALUES (“ARV”): First-place grade-level winners: a trophy, a poetry journal, and a popular book of poetry by favorite author (student’s choice) (ARV: $100.00). Second-place grade-level winners: a trophy and poetry journal (ARV: $50.00). Third-place grade-level winners: a trophy (ARV: $30.00). Total ARV of all Contest prizes: $2340.00.

WINNER NOTIFICATION: Potential winners will be notified by e-mail, or telephone, and/or US mail and may be required to complete and return a notarized Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability and where permissible, a Publicity Release (“Affidavit/Release”), within seven (7) days of date specified on notification, or an alternate winner may be determined. If an Affidavit/Release and/or if any required document(s) is not returned within such time period, or if a selected winner cannot accept or receive the prize for any reason, or if he/she is not in compliance with these Official Rules, the prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner may be determined. If a winner is otherwise eligible under these Official Rules, but is nevertheless deemed a minor in his or her state of primary residence, the prize will be awarded in the name of winner’s parent or legal guardian who will be required to execute Affidavit/Release (or any required document) on minor’s behalf. Prizes awarded within 30 days after winner verification. Prizes are not redeemable for cash; are non-assignable or transferable except to a surviving spouse. No substitutions are permitted except Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize or portion of any prize with one of equal or greater value in case of unavailability. Winners acknowledge that the Sponsor and all other businesses concerned with this Contest and their agents do not make, nor are in any manner responsible for any warranty, representations, expressed or implied, in fact or in law, relative the quality, conditions, fitness or merchantability of any aspect of any prize. Each winner will be responsible for all federal, state, local, and income taxes associated with winning his/her prize. Incidental expenses on any prize not specified herein are each winner’s sole responsibility. Except where prohibited by law, entry and acceptance of prize constitute permission for Sponsor and its agents to use each winner’s name, prize won, hometown, likeness, video, photographs, essays and statements for purposes of advertising, trade, promotion and publicity (including online posting) in any and all media now or hereafter known throughout the world in perpetuity, without additional compensation, notification or permission.

CONDITIONS OF ENTRY: Entrants agree to these Official Rules and the decisions of the judges and the Sponsor, and on their behalf, and on behalf of their respective heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, successors and assigns (“Releasing Parties”), release, defend and hold harmless the Contest Entities, as well as the employees, officers, directors and agents of each (“Released Parties”), from any and all actions, causes of action, suits, debts, dues, sums of money, accounts, reckonings, bonds, bills, specialties, covenants, contracts, controversies, agreements, promises, variances, trespasses, lost profits, indirect or direct damages, consequential damages, incidental damages, punitive or exemplary damages, judgments, extent, executions, claims and demands whatsoever, in law, admiralty or equity, whether known or unknown, foreseen or unforeseen, against Released Parties which any one or more of the Releasing Parties ever had, now have or hereafter can, shall or may have which in any way arise out of or result from entrant’s participation, acceptance and use or misuse of any prize.

In the event Sponsor is prevented from continuing with the Contest as planned herein by any event beyond its control, including but not limited to fire, flood, hurricane, earthquake, explosion, labor dispute or strike, act of God or public enemy, satellite or equipment failure, riot or civil disturbance, terrorist threat or activity, war (declared or undeclared) or any federal, state, or local government law, order, or regulation, or order of any court or other cause not within Sponsor’s control or concerns regarding the safety of any winner or guest, Sponsor shall have the right to modify, suspend, extend or terminate the Contest. Entrants assume all liability for any injury, including death or damage caused or claimed to be caused, by participation in this Contest or use or redemption of any prize.

This Contest shall be governed by and interpreted under the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, U.S.A. without regard to its conflicts of laws provisions. Entrants hereby agree that any and all disputes, claims, causes of action, or controversies (“Claims”) arising out of or in connection with this Contest shall be resolved, upon the election by entrant or Sponsor, by arbitration pursuant to this provision and the code of procedures of either the National Arbitration Forum (“NAF”) or the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”), as selected by the entrant. IF ARBITRATION IS CHOSEN BY ANY PARTY WITH RESPECT TO A CLAIM, NEITHER PARTY WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO LITIGATE THAT CLAIM IN COURT OR HAVE A JURY TRIAL ON THAT CLAIM. FURTHER, NEITHER SPONSOR NOR ENTRANT WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A REPRESENTATIVE CAPACITY ON BEHALF OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC OR OTHER PERSONS SIMILARLY SITUATED, OR AS A MEMBER OF ANY CLASS OF CLAIMANTS PERTAINING TO ANY CLAIM SUBJECT TO ARBITRATION. EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW, THE ARBITRATOR’S DECISION WILL BE FINAL AND BINDING. NOTE THAT OTHER RIGHTS THAT ENTRANT WOULD HAVE IF ENTRANT WENT TO COURT ALSO MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE IN ARBITRATION. The arbitrator’s authority to resolve Claims is limited to Claims between Sponsor and entrant alone, and the arbitrator’s authority to make awards is limited to awards to Sponsor and entrant alone. Furthermore, Claims brought by either party against the other may not be joined or consolidated in arbitration with Claims brought by or against any third party, unless agreed to in writing by all parties. No arbitration award or decision will have any preclusive effect as to issues or claims in any dispute with anyone who is not a named party to the arbitration. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement and without waiving either party’s right to appeal such decision, should any portion of this provision be deemed invalid or unenforceable, then the entire provision (other than this sentence) shall not apply. Sponsor is not responsible for any typographical or other error in the printing of the offer, administration of the Contest or in the announcement of any prize.

Sponsor and Entrant agree that an arbitration award (“Underlying Award”) may be appealed pursuant to the American Arbitration Association’s Optional Appellate Arbitration Rules (“Appellate Rules”); that any the Underlying Award shall, at a minimum, be a reasoned award, and that the Underlying Award shall not be considered final until after the time for filing a notice of appeal pursuant to the Appellate Rules has expired. Appeals must be initiated within thirty (30) days of receipt of an Underlying Award, as defined by Rule A-3 of the Appellate Rules, by filing a Notice of Appeal with any office of the American Arbitration Association.

 LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY FOR WEB ACCESS: The Sponsor is not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by Website users, or tampering or hacking, or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest and assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to the Website. The Sponsor is not responsible for injury or damage to an entrant’s or to any other person’s computer related to or resulting from participating in this Contest or downloading and/or uploading materials from or use of the Website. If for any reason, the Contest is not capable of running as planned by reason of infection by computer virus, worms, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes which, in the sole opinion of the Sponsor could corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this Contest, the Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest and determine winners from all eligible entries received prior to that action taken.

Entry materials/data that have been tampered with or altered, or mass entries or entries generated by a script, macro or use of automated devices are void. Entries made with multiple e-mail addresses, under multiple identities or through the use of any automated other device or artifice to enter multiple times will be deemed invalid. Mechanically reproduced, illegible, incomplete or inaccurate entries are void. In the event of a dispute, entries (including videos and/or photos/essays) will be deemed to have been submitted by the Authorized Account Holder of the e-mail address provided at the time of entry. “Authorized Account Holder” means the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. Mechanically reproduced entries are not eligible. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, damaged or misdirected entries.

Winners List: For the names of the winners (available after 06/15/17), e-mail stories@k12.com

OPT-IN/OPT-OUT: By entering the Contest, entrants agree that collected information from entrants may be used for future mailings (via U.S. mail or e-mail) by Sponsor regarding its products and services including current offers and promotions, in addition to being to notify winners. Refer the Sponsor’s privacy policy at stories.k12.com to learn how to opt-out if you do not wish to receive future offers from Sponsor.

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