First Freedom Student Competition Eligibility

ELIGIBILITY
9^th - 12^th Grade Students

The competition is open to public, private and parochial school students and to home-schooled and distance-learning students living in:

The United States of America;
The District of Columbia; and
U.S. territories.

The competition is also open to:

American students living outside of the United States;
Non-American students attending American and international schools outside of the United States;
Foreign-exchange students studying in the United States;
Legal aliens and legal visitors studying in the United States;
All students participating in dual enrollment programs, which combine classes for a high-school diploma and college credit, whether studying on a high school or college campus; and

American GED-program students, 20 years of age and younger.

We invite 9th – 12th grade students at all levels of academic placement to participate.

Teacher Sponsorship and Entry Selection

Student-Driven Entries: Many students find and enter the competition on their own with no other students competing against them at the classroom level. These students must request competition sponsorship from their Social Studies, English or Media Department teacher. (This also includes librarians and teachers of government, economics, social sciences, business law, theology, journalism, speech, forensics/debate, technology, etc.). If not taking Social Studies, English, or Media Department classes this semester, students may request sponsorship from a former or upcoming Social Studies, English, or Media Department teacher. Guidance counselors should direct students to their Social Studies, English, or Media Department teachers for sponsorship.

Sponsoring teacher:

Signs registration form; and
On registration form, enters the total number of students in this student's class period who prepared an essay or video. (It may be just "1").
Note: We encourage teacher to review entry and edit as deemed appropriate to enhance learning, but not to detract from student's original presentation.

Teacher-Driven Class Competitions and Extra-Credit Assignments: When student participation is teacher driven and more than two students prepare an essay and/or video in a class period, teacher selects top classroom entries to represent classes at the national level of competition. Teacher may select a total of:

Two final entries per class period, one from each category (written and video) or two from one category (i.e., if five classes participate, 10 entries may be submitted);
An additional two entries from former students not enrolled in Social Studies, English, and Media Department classes this semester, who request sponsorship; and
An additional two entries from upcoming students not enrolled in Social Studies, English, and Media Department classes this semester, who request sponsorship.

Participating teachers also:

Sign registration forms; and
On registration forms, enter the total number of students in each participating student's class period who prepared an essay or video.
Note: We encourage teachers to review entries and edit as deemed appropriate to enhance learning, but not to detract from students' original presentations.

Home-School and Distance-Learning Teacher Entry Selection and Sponsorship

Home-school and distance-learning teachers may select two final entries per grade level in home-school group or distance-learning class to represent the group at the national level of competition - one from each category (written and video) or two from one category.

If not a part of a home-school group, home-school teachers may select one entry from the home class at each grade level.

Sponsoring home-school and distance-learning teachers also:

Edit student entries, as deemed appropriate to enhance learning, but not to detract from students’ original presentations;
Sign registration forms; and
Enter the total number of students who competed, as designated on each registration form.

First Freedom Center staff, interns and immediate family members are not eligible.

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