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NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS CONTEST. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT WILL NOT INCREASE OR IMPROVE CHANCES OF WINNING. INTERNET ACCESS REQUIRED. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
1. Contest Description
Girls Scouts of the USA (“Sponsor” or “GSUSA”), the sole sponsor of the Girl Scouts to the Moon and Back Essay Contest (“Contest”), invites eligible individuals (“Entrants”) to enter the Contest by writing an essay (“Essay”) responsive to the appropriate prompt (“Prompt”) assigned to the Entrant’s Girl Scout level: Girl Scout Daisies, Girl Scout Brownies, Girl Scout Juniors, Girl Scout Cadettes, Girl Scout Seniors, or Girl Scout Ambassadors (each a “Girl Scout Level”).
Girl Scout Daisies Prompt (25 words or fewer): Imagine you are going on a mission to the moon. What would you take with you and why?
Girl Scout Brownies/Juniors Prompt (75 words or fewer): Imagine you are the first kid ever sent on a mission to space. Where would you want to go and what would you do there?
Cadettes/Seniors/Ambassadors Prompt (150 words or fewer): Imagine you are on a space mission and are put in charge of building a new community on another planet. What values would you work to instill in this community and why?
Sponsor will select ninety (90) winners (the “Prize Winners”), fifteen (15) for each Girl Scout Level, from among the Entrants who have provided a complete Submission and who have complied with all of the terms and conditions of these Girl Scouts to the Moon and Back Essay Contest official contest rules (the “Official Contest Rules”).
2. Contest Period
The Contest begins on January 18, 2022, at 12:00 a.m. ET and ends on March 1, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. ET (“Contest Period”). Sponsor's clock is the official clock and sole determinant for the purposes of a valid entry in the Contest.
3. Eligibility
This Contest is open only to Girl Scouts who: (a) have completed the free Space Science Badge activity for their Girl Scout Level on Girl Scouts at Home (available at https://www.girlscouts.org/moonandback prior to entering a Submission, (b) are legal residents of one of the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Guam, or Puerto Rico (including residents currently residing in overseas military installations with a valid APO/FPO mailing address), and (c) submit a valid Submission together with a parent or legal guardian (either a “Guardian”) who is 18 years old or older as of the date of entry.
If a potential Prize Winner is under 18 years old (or under 19 years old in Nebraska and Alabama), she must have written approval of a Guardian to enter the Contest and claim the Prize, which includes the Prize Winners’ Guardian providing permission to use the Submission and providing a publicity release consistent with Sections 9, 10 and 11 of these Official Contest Rules.
An Entrant will not be officially declared a Prize Winner unless and until she and her Guardian have signed all required permissions, releases, and other documentation. Entrants and Guardians may be required to provide personal information to receive a Prize.
The Contest is void where prohibited by law. The Contest is not open to any employees, directors, or officers of Sponsor, its subsidiaries, or affiliated councils, or the immediate family members (defined as spouse, parent, child, sibling, and their respective spouses, regardless of where they live) and household members (whether related or not) of such employees. The Official Contest Rules are subject to modification by GSUSA at its sole discretion.
4. How to Enter
To enter the Contest, Entrants must:
a. Review these Official Contest Rules, complete the free Space Science Badge activity for their age level, and access Submission instructions here: https://www.girlscouts.org/moonandback.
b. Write an Essay responsive to the appropriate Prompt for Entrant’s Girl Scout Level, which conforms to the Word Limit and all other Submission Guidelines as defined below in Section 5;
c. Submit a complete Submission at https://www.girlscouts.org/moonandback during the Contest Period, including:
i. Confirmation that Entrant has completed the free Space Science Badge activity for her Girl Scout Level on Girl Scouts at Home (available at https://www.girlscouts.org/moonandback)
ii. Guardian’s consent to Entrant’s participation if entrant is under eighteen (18) years of age (“Consent”);
iii. Entrant’s Essay; and
iv. A clear and focused photo of only the Entrant in portrait form.
Entrants who are 18 years or older do not need a Guardian’s Consent to enter the Contest. Entrant must complete the entire Submission at the time of entry. There will not be an opportunity for Entrant to save her work and finish the Submission later. Sponsor is not responsible for retrieving any incomplete or lost responses.
If a Submission does not meet all Submission Guidelines, it will be removed from the pool of eligible entries.
THERE IS A LIMIT OF ONE (1) SUBMISSION PER ENTRANT. If it is discovered that any Entrant has attempted to: (a) submit more than one (1) Submission and/or (b) use (or attempt to use) multiple or fraudulent names, identities and/or more than one (1) email address to enter the Contest, Sponsor may disqualify Entrant from the Contest.
Except as otherwise provided herein with respect to the Submission, any other attempted form of online entry is void and will not be accepted. Entrant, or anyone acting on behalf of Entrant, may not offer prizes, awards, gifts, money or consideration of any kind in exchange for points in the scoring of the Contest, and Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any Entrant it believes, in Sponsor's sole discretion, to be engaging in such activity. By submitting a Submission, Entrant (and, if a minor, her Guardian) hereby agrees to the terms and conditions set forth in these Official Contest Rules.
All Submissions are subject to verification. Proof of receipt does not constitute proof of eligibility for the Contest. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to require proof of identity and/or eligibility (in a form acceptable to Sponsor, including, without limitation, government issued photo identification to participate in this Contest and/or be awarded a prize. Failure to provide such proof to the satisfaction of Sponsor in a timely manner may result in disqualification.
5. Submission Guidelines
SPONSOR, IN ITS SOLE DISCRETION, MAY REMOVE ANY SUBMISSION AND DISQUALIFY ANY ENTRANT FROM A CONTEST IF IT BELIEVES, IN ITS SOLE DISCRETION THAT THE SUBMISSION FAILS TO CONFORM TO ALL GUIDELINES AND RESTRICTIONS SET FORTH IN THESE OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES (THE “SUBMISSION GUIDELINES”) AND/OR ANY OTHER PROVISION OF THESE OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES.
Submissions must conform, without limitation, to the following Submission Guidelines:
a. Essays must be the original work of the Entrant and must not have won previous awards or have been published or publicly displayed previously. If an Essay or any other component of a Submission was created by a person other than the Entrant (or includes any other material or elements not owned by the Entrant and/or subject to rights of third parties), then the Entrant will be disqualified as the Submission is not the original work of the Entrant.
b. Submissions must not infringe upon any third party’s rights, including, but not limited to, privacy, publicity and intellectual property rights, and may not include anything in which another person or entity owns any copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, moral right, or other proprietary right (or where a recognizable product that is protectable by copyright or trademark appears).
c. Essays must be (i) in English; (ii) responsive to the appropriate Prompt for the Entrant’s Girl Scout Level; and (iii) not exceed the Word Limit for the Entrant’s Girl Scout Level, which are as follows: no more than 25 words for Girl Scout Daisies; no more than 75 words for Girl Scout Brownies and Girl Scout Juniors; and no more than 150 words for Girl Scout Cadettes, Girl Scout Seniors, and Girl Scout Ambassadors.
d. Essays may not include Entrant’s name, or the names of any other real people (other than those of significant figures). Essays may reference names of significant figures if necessary for Entrant to factually explain her Essay. Essays may include fictional first names, but not fictional last names. If Sponsor reasonably believes that an Essay contains the name of an actual person, Sponsor reserves the right to fictionalize names for the purposes of Prize Winner selection.
e. The Submission as a whole must not include any identifiable information of a third party such as name, address, phone number or email address; contain URLs that link to external sites, files or videos such as Google Docs or YouTube; disparage Sponsor or any other person or party; contain advertising or solicitations; contain text, images or artwork not created by Entrant, or text, images, or artwork over which Entrant does not have specific rights to submit in the Contest; Contain material that Sponsor deems to be inappropriate, indecent, obscene, hateful, tortuous, defamatory, slanderous, or libelous; contain swear words or other coarse language; contain material that Sponsor deems to promote cruelty, bigotry, racism, hatred or harm against any animal, group or individual or to promote discrimination based on race, gender, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age; include any personal information, name, or likeness, of any person under the age of 13 unless that person’s Guardian has executed a written consent; or contain material that is unlawful, in violation of, or contrary to the laws or regulations in any jurisdiction where Submission is created.
f. Adults may assist younger Entrants with typing the online Submission, but the Essay and must be the Entrant’s own creative, original work.
By submitting the Essay, Entrants (and Guardians if applicable) are authorizing use of the Essay in Sponsor promotional materials in accordance with Sections 9 and 10 of these Official Contest Rules, without compensation to Entrant, or any further permission, or notification, unless prohibited by law.
Sponsor reserves the right to remove personally identifiable information from an Essay, and reserves the right but not the obligation, in their sole discretion, to edit or modify any Entrant’s Submission (or a component thereof), or to request an Entrant to modify, edit and/or re-submit his or her Submission (or a component thereof), to ensure that the Submission complies with the Privacy Policy (as defined below in Section 10), these Official Contest Rules, or for any other reason.
BY PARTICIPATING IN THE CONTEST, ENTRANT WARRANTS AND REPRESENTS THAT: (I) HER SUBMISSION (AND EACH COMPONENT THEREOF) IS ORIGINAL TO HER; AND (II) ENTRANT HAS ALL OTHER RIGHTS, LICENSES, PERMISSIONS AND CONSENTS NECESSARY TO THE SUBMISSION AND ITS ENTRY INTO THE CONTEST, TO GRANT SPONSOR THE WORLDWIDE, IRREVOCABLE, AND UNRESTRICTED RIGHT AND LICENSE TO ADAPT, PUBLISH, USE, EDIT, AND/OR MODIFY THE SUBMISSION (AND EACH COMPONENT THEREOF) IN ANY WAY, AND THAT THE SUBMISSION (AND EACH INDIVIDUAL COMPONENT THEREOF) COMPLIES WITH ALL CONDITIONS STATED IN THESE OFFICIAL CONTEST RULES.
6. Winner Determination
Sponsor will appoint a slate of volunteers (the “Contest Judges”) to judge eligible Essays on the basis of the weighted criteria (“Criteria”) included in this Section 6 of the Official Contest Rules. All Essay entries will be presented to the Contest Judges in the same format and, in accordance with the Submission Guidelines in Section 5, above, exclude all personal information. Contest Judges will judge each Essay only against other Essays for the same Girl Scout Level and assign each eligible Essay a score (the “Score”) based on the Criteria in their sole and absolute discretion.
There will be two rounds of judging. In the first round (the “First Round”), Contest Judges will determine the thirty (30) highest-Scored Essays for each Girl Scout Level (the “Semifinalist Essays”). In the second round (the “Semifinals”), when Contest Judges will include space science professionals and others, Contest Judges will assign a Score for each of the thirty (30) Semifinalist Essays to determine the fifteen (15) highest-Scored Essays for each Girl Scout Level. The Entrants who submitted the fifteen (15) highest-Scored Essays as Scored in the Semifinals will be the potential Contest Winners.
Maximum Points | Criteria |
45 | 1. The Essay’s responsiveness to the appropriate Prompt |
45 | 2. Originality and creativity of ideas presented |
10 | 3. Quality of writing |
In the event of any tie between two or more Essays for the same Girl Scout Level in either the First Round or the Semifinals, the Entrant who submitted an Essay with a higher Score in Criteria 2 will be given priority. If there is still a tie, the Entrant who submitted an Essay with a higher Score in Criteria 3 will be given priority.
All decisions of Sponsor and Contest Judges are final and binding.
7. Prize and Approximate Retail Value
There will be a maximum of ninety (90) winners, up to fifteen (15) per Girl Scout Level. Each of the fifteen (15) winners in each Girl Scout Level will be recognized as a Girl Scout Space Science Star and will have the opportunity to receive a Girl Scout Space Science Badge that has been to space with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Artemis I mission (the “Prize”). The total Prize per Prize Winner will not exceed a $3.00 retail value. Prizes are awarded “as is” with no warranty or guarantee, either express or implied by Sponsor, including but not limited to, the implied warranties or conditions of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.
Potential Prize Winners will receive official notification from Sponsor and may be required to respond with additional documentation within the time required or be disqualified and forfeit the Prize. Each Entrant (or if a minor, her Guardian) must complete, execute and return an affidavit (or declaration, as determined by Sponsor) of eligibility, liability and publicity release, except where prohibited (the “Prize Release”) within ten (10) days of notification. If a Prize Winner is a minor, then the Prize Winner’s Guardian must sign a Prize Release before the Prize Winner receives the Prize. Each Prize Winner must show picture identification to claim the Prize.
Allow approximately six (6) months after prize notification for receipt of the applicable Prize. Prize awards are subject to verification of eligibility and compliance with these Official Contest Rules and decisions of Sponsor.
Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value in its sole discretion. The Prize is not transferable, assignable or redeemable for cash. The Prize is limited to that specified above; all other unspecified costs, fees, and expenses associated with the Prize award, receipt, and use are solely the responsibility of the Prize Winner. Any and all federal, state and local taxes on the Prize, if any, are the sole responsibility of the Prize Winner. Sponsor reserves in its sole discretion the right to suspend, withhold, modify or terminate any aspect of the Prize at any time, including without limitation, for impossibility if the Prize is destroyed or otherwise made unavailable for reasons beyond Sponsor’s control, or if Sponsor in its sole discretion determines that the Prize Winner or Prize Winner’s Guardian’s conduct violates the values of the Girl Scouts, Girl Scout Promise or Law.
Sponsor is not liable to Entrants, Prize Winners or any other person or entity for failure to execute the Contest, or any element thereof, or supply a prize, or any part thereof, by reason of any act of God, any action(s), regulation(s) order(s) or request(s) by any governmental or quasi-governmental entity (whether or not the action(s), regulation(s), order(s) or request(s) prove(s) to be invalid), equipment failure, terrorist act, cyber-attack, earthquake, war, fire, flood, explosion, unusually severe weather, hurricane, embargo, labor dispute or strike (whether legal or illegal), labor or material shortage, transportation interruption of any kind, work slow-down, civil disturbance, insurrection, riot, event or experience cancellation or delay, or any similar or dissimilar event beyond its control.
8. Official Clock and Use of Internet
Sponsor's computer will be the official clock for the Contest. Sponsor, its subsidiaries, affiliates, and their respective advertising, promotion, or production agencies are not responsible for technical, hardware, software, or telecommunications malfunctions of any kind; lost or unavailable network connections; failed, incorrect, incomplete, inaccurate, garbled, or delayed electronic communications caused by the sender; or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or used in this Contest, which may limit the ability to participate (including but not limited to defects/errors/malfunctions), or by any error that may occur in the entry process or the Contest. Without limiting the foregoing, Sponsor, Girl Scout councils, and any associated subsidiaries or affiliates are not responsible for electronic communications/emails not received due to email filtering, virus protection, other protective devices/apparatuses, or any other cause.
Without limitation, Sponsor is not responsible for and shall not be liable for: (a) infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, electronic, hardware or software program, network, Internet or computer malfunctions, failures, or difficulties of any kind, including without limitation, Internet Service Provider (ISP) or other connection availability, server malfunction, failed computer, network, telephone, satellite or cable hardware or software or lines, or technical failure, or jumbled, scrambled, delayed or misdirected transmissions, computer hardware or software malfunctions or any human, mechanical or technical or electronic error which may occur in the collection and processing of Submissions and/or any other information, or for the failure to collect the aforementioned information, or for fraud or any other cause beyond the control of Sponsor, which corrupts or affects the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Contest; (b) failed, incomplete, garbled or delayed computer transmissions; (c) lost, late, misdirected or incomplete Submissions, or information or mail; or (d) any condition caused by events that may cause the Contest to be disrupted or corrupted, regardless of the reason. Sponsor is not responsible for injury or damage to any person or property related to or resulting from participating in this Contest.
If any of the foregoing renders the Contest incapable of being conducted as described in these Official Contest Rules), Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel, amend, terminate, modify, or suspend the Contest in whole or in part. In such event, Sponsor shall make the Prize available in a manner determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion to be fair, appropriate, and consistent with the spirit of these Official Contest Rules. Notice of such action by Sponsor will be posted on Sponsor’s website and, only if deemed fair by Sponsor in its sole and absolute discretion will prizes be awarded based all eligible Submissions legitimately received immediately prior to the event(s) causing the termination or suspension.
Anyone who tampers with or abuses any aspect of the Contest, acts in violation of the Official Contest Rules, acts in any manner to threaten or abuse or harass any person, or violates the terms of service, as solely determined by Sponsor, will be disqualified. Sponsor is not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information whether caused by website users, tampering, hacking, or by any of the programming or equipment associated with or used in this Contest. Any (suspected or actual) use of cheating, robotic, macro, automatic, programmed, or like Submission methods will void all such entries, and may subject that Entrant to disqualification.
9. Intellectual Property and Grant of License in Materials Submitted
By participating in the Contest, Entrant warrants and represents that: (i) her Submission (and each component thereof) is original to her; and (ii) Entrant has all other rights, licenses, permissions and consents necessary to the Submission and its entry into the Contest, to grant all of the rights granted to Sponsor and/or the use by them of the rights granted by Entrant, in whole or in part, does not and will not give rise to any alleged or actual claims, disputes, actions or liabilities, including but not limited to those for disputes or payment of any kind, approval rights, or any rights of participation, attribution, or any other fees, costs, or expenses, arising out of the Submission, use, exhibition and/or any other use or exploitation of the Submission, in whole and in part, the use thereof by Sponsor.
By entering a Submission, and as a condition of entering the Contest, Entrant grants to Sponsor, its agents, and its licensees a royalty-free, non-exclusive, perpetual, worldwide, irrevocable, unlimited, assignable and sublicensable right and license to use, distribute, display, exploit, commercialize, use, adapt, edit and/or modify the Submission or any element of such Submission, and use Entrant’s name, picture, likeness, voice (“Promotional Content”), for any and all purposes, including without limitation advertising and promotional purposes such as publicity, promotion, or advertising in any form of media, including website (collectively, “Media Accounts”) without further compensation or notification to, or review or permission of Entrant and/or any third party.
Entrant also waives any right to inspect or approve any such use of their Submission, moral rights, or rights to attribution. Entrant agrees, where permitted by law, to sign any documents necessary to effect this license grant. Entrant understands and agrees that display or publication of their Submission by Sponsor does not indicate that the Entrant who submitted a particular Submission will be selected as a Prize Winner, and Sponsor will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such use.
10. Privacy
By entering a Submission, Entrant (and, if a minor, Entrant’s Guardian) expressly consents and agrees that Sponsor and its authorized representatives may store, share, and use information submitted with a Submission, including posting Entrant’s name and Promotional Content, if applicable, on any and all Media Accounts or publicizing information about the Entrant or the Prize Winner. Sponsor may also use an Entrant's personal data, such as his or her first name, council name, submitted photograph and e-mail address for Sponsor’s marketing communications and in accordance with Sponsor’s privacy policy (“Privacy Policy”) at: https://www.girlscouts.org/en/help/help/privacy-policy.html. To opt-out or unsubscribe from receiving future promotion communications from Sponsor, please write to Sponsor at 420 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10018-2798.
11. Indemnification
To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, by submitting an entry, Entrants (or if minors, their Guardians) agree to release, discharge, indemnify, and hold harmless Sponsor, Girl Scout councils, and their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, related companies, advertising and promotion agencies, and the directors, officers, employees, shareholders, and agents of each (“Indemnitees”) from and against any threatened or actual claims, debts, demands, actions, causes of action, suits, proceedings, judgements, settlements (whether or not litigation is commenced), obligations, liabilities, injury, death, loss or damages, costs and expenses (including reasonable attorney’s fees), property damages and any other losses, penalties or fines whatsoever of any kind or nature, whether at law or in equity, known or unknown, asserted or un-asserted, that Entrant ever had, now has, or that may arise in the future, including without limitation any caused in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, by reason of Entrant’s participation in the Contest (or related activities), acceptance, possession, or use/misuse of the Prize, or from any delay in receiving the Prize and/or any subsequent prize, if applicable. Entrants' obligations to indemnify Indemnitees include actions arising (a) from any allegation that any Submission an Entrant submits via the Contest infringes or otherwise violates the copyright, trademark, trade secret, or other intellectual property or other rights of any third party, or (b) from any other violation of these Official Contest Rules. By entering a Submission, Entrants agree that they have no right to bring, and covenant not to bring, any claim, action, or proceeding of any kind or nature whatsoever against Indemnitees in connection with this Contest, and further covenant not to disaffirm, limit or rescind these releases. Entrants acknowledge and agree that Indemnitees do not have now, nor shall any of them have in the future, any duty or liability, direct or indirect, vicarious, contributory, or otherwise, with respect to the non-infringement or protection of any copyright, trademark, patent, or any other claimed right or interest or the inaccurate or misrepresentation of information included in the Submission.
12. Limitation of Liability
Indemnitees are not responsible for: (a) lost, late, damaged, destroyed, delayed, stolen, misdirected, incomplete, or illegible entries, or entries received through impermissible or illegitimate channels, all of which will be disqualified; (b) technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to the malfunctioning of any telephone, computer online systems, computer equipment, website, server provider, network, hardware, or software; (c) the unavailability or inaccessibility of any website or service; (d) unauthorized intervention in any part of the entry process or the Contest; or (e) printing, typographical, electronic, or human errors which may occur in the offer or administration of the Contest or the processing of entries. Entrant agrees that any and all claims, judgments, and awards shall be limited to actual out of pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering the Contests but in no event attorneys' fees or mediation related costs; and Entrant waives all rights to claim any punitive, incidental, consequential, and any other damages, other than for actual out-of-pocket expenses, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased.
CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTESTIS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAW. SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW (AND TO DISQUALIFY SUCH INDIVIDUAL FROM THE CONTESTS IF APPLICABLE). SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE MAY NOT APPLY. BY PARTICIPATING IN THE CONTESTS, ENTRANT AGREES THAT THE INDEMNITEES (I) MAKE NO WARRANTY, GUARANTY, OR REPRESENTATION OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN FACT OR IN LAW, RELATING TO THE CONTESTS AND/OR THE PRIZE; AND (II) DISCLAIM ANY IMPLIED WARRANTY.
13. Governing Law and Jurisdiction
The Contest is governed by the laws of the State of New York (excluding its principles of conflicts of laws/choice of laws), County of New York and all claims must be resolved individually (NOT PART OF A CLASS) in the appropriate state and federal courts of New York. By participating, Entrant agrees to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts.
14. No Waiver; Severability
Sponsor or one or more of the Indemnitees’ failure to enforce any provision of these Official Contest Rules shall not constitute the waiver of any other provision. If any provision(s) of these Official Contest Rules are held to be invalid or unenforceable, all remaining provisions hereof will remain in full force and effect.
15. Rules and Winners List Requests
Official Contest Rules (available during the Contest Period) and Prize Winners (available for a period of thirty (30) days after Prize Winners have been selected) will be posted at https://www.girlscouts.org/moonandback Minor Prize Winners will be identified by first name and last initial or by the name of her Guardian.