Purpose
The Association for Career and Technical Education (ACTE) sponsors an essay contest in the memory of former ACTE Senior Director of Communications, Cliff Weiss (1951-2004). Cliff Weiss had a passion for career and technical education. He believed very strongly in the value of CTE and always felt privileged to be involved in bringing the message of this value to the public. Weiss shared his gift for writing and with it enhanced everything that was done at ACTE. The purpose of this contest is to recognize CTE students who share the same passion and talents. One entry in each category, secondary and postsecondary, will be selected to receive an award of $250.
Eligibility
Entrants must be either secondary or postsecondary students enrolled in at least one career and technical education course.
Evaluation Criteria
The essays will be evaluated on the following criteria:
- Content
- relationship to topic
- logically organized
- clarity of message
- expressiveness
- Technical Quality
- spelling, grammar, punctuation
The essays will be judged by the ACTE Public Information Committee and/or the ACTE Communications Committee. The essays will be judged based on the criteria above. Judges will have final say and entrants may not challenge or appeal.
Topic
The 2010 topic is "How is CTE an investment in your future?"
Application Procedures
Each entrant shall submit the following:
- Entrants must submit an essay that is between 400-600 words in length.
- Entrants may only submit one essay.
- The winning paper will show how CTE has helped the writer enter or make strides towards a challenging career field or postsecondary education.
- Essays must be submitted as Microsoft Word Documents.
- Entrants must include a cover sheet, which clearly states their name, address, phone number, email, school name, teacher’s name, school’s phone number and the category (either secondary or postsecondary).
- Entrants may not include their name anywhere on the essay itself.
- Essays must be submitted via e-mail to essaycontest@acteonline.org
- All entries become the property of ACTE and will not be returned.
- ACTE will notify the winning entry only.
Award-Winning Essays
- ACTE reserves the right to publish, reproduce, copy and display winning essays in any format, print or electronic.
- ACTE will only notify the winner by telephone, regular mail, or email according to the information provided on their cover sheet.
- The winning essays will be published in Techniques as well as displayed on the ACTE Web site.
- The winner of each category (secondary and postsecondary) will receive $250.
Deadline
Essays must be received at ACTE headquarters no later than Friday, February 12, 2010. No essays will be accepted after this date.