Essay Contest 2023

Who can participate?

If you are in grades 3-5, you can participate in our Level One contest.

If you are in grades 6-8, you can participate in our Level Two Contest.

What is the challenge?

Level One: Visit our web page at https://elephantaidinternational.org/. Click on ERNA elephants and read about both Bo and Tarra. Next choose ONE of the elephants and write a short story about an adventure that Bo or Tarra might have at the Refuge. Use your imagination, but be mindful of the facts about the elephants and their habitat. There are many videos you can watch to put yourself right in their setting!

Level Two: Visit our web page at https://elephantaidinternational.org/. Click on ERNA elephants and read about both Bo and Tarra. Next click on You Can Help. Review ways in which people can help. Now it’s your turn. In what way can you help? We want to hear from you! Think of a way in which you could possibly help. Write an essay that first explains why you wish to help and then a well thought out plan as to how you would do it! Be creative, but realistic. It should be a plan that someone your age could carry out.

What are the rules?

1. The essay should be in your own words. You may have a peer or an adult assist you with editing, but the piece should be your own ideas. Remember the writing must be yours!
   • Level One: Your piece should be no more than 300 words.
   • Level Two: Your piece should be no more than 400 words.
2. Your essays must be typed in English.

Did you mention prizes???

First Place in Both Levels

• $50
• A certificate
• A special t-shirt from EAI
• A virtual visit to your classroom from Carol Buckley
• Your work published on our website
• Elephant Ambassadorship

Second Place in Both Levels

• A certificate
• A special t-shirt from EAI
• Elephant Ambassadorship

Judging

The essays will be judged by a panel of elephant enthusiasts on content, accuracy, creativity, passion, and adherence to the topic.

Winners will be announced in the late spring of 2023.

How and when do I submit my writing piece?

1. All submissions must be received by midnight (EST) on March 1, 2023.
2. All submissions must include your piece of writing and be submitted via the appropriate form (more details below).
3. Your writing piece should have the following information in the upper left hand corner: Your full name, email, word count, level of contest you are entering. (If a teacher is sending submissions as a class, please include teacher name and school name.)
4. Teachers: you may submit one form with several entries, if you so wish.
5. Teachers: Please do NOT put several entries in one document. They may be submitted in one form, but must be separate documents. Our parent/teacher submission form allows up to 30 file uploads.
6. Failure to follow these steps could mean disqualification.

Which form should I use?

Read the instructions carefully to determine the best way to submit your project. If you can answer YES to either of these two questions, you can use our student submission form below:

• Are you a student living in the United States or the United Kingdom who is 13 years old or older?
• Are you a student living in any country outside the United States or the United Kingdom who is 16 years old or older?

If you are a student who answers “No” to both of those questions, then please ask an adult to submit on your behalf.

Teacher/Parent Submission Form

Adults can submit on behalf of any student no matter their age. If you are an adult submitting on behalf of a student, please use this submission form.

Finally the fine print!

By submitting an entry, an entrant represents that the essay is an original work, and the entrant is the sole owner of all rights to the essay. An entrant also agrees to allow Elephant Aid International  to use his or her name to post on the EAI web site, without compensation unless prohibited.  Each entrant retains his or her rights to their essay but grants EAI a royalty-free, world-wide, perpetual, non-exclusive license to publicly display, distribute, reproduce and create derivative works of the essay, in whole or in part, in any media now existing or later developed, for any EAI purpose, including, but not limited to, advertising and promotion. EAI will not be required to pay any additional consideration or seek any additional approval in connection with such uses. Elephant Aid International, its agents and contractor, are not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, incomplete, or postage-due entries. Contest void where prohibited or restricted by law. EAI reserves the right to cancel the contest or modify these rules at its discretion. Decisions of EAI are final and binding.