Contest Guidelines and Rules

Eligibility: Students are eligible to participate if they are in grades fourth through twelve in any of the fifty states, District of Columbia, the US territories or if they are a U.S. citizen attending school overseas.

Entry Criteria: All essays must be typewritten on 8 ½ and 11 white paper and double-spaced. All essays must be accompanied by a completed scholarship application form. Your name must also appear in the upper right hand corner of each page of the essay as well as on the Mission Patch. All Mission Patches must be the original work of the student submitting the entry and must not have been published anywhere else. Mission Patches are to be hand drawn and colored on 8 ½ x 11 white paper and attached behind the essay. Essays less than 50 words in length or longer than 400 words or that do not meet any other prerequisites will be considered ineligible.

Judging: A contestant may enter only one essay and one Mission patch. The essay must be on one of the specified topics. A panel of judges, who selections will be final, will read all entries. Entries are judged on content, expression, mechanics and creativity. Entry into the contest grants the Air Force Association/Aerospace Education Foundation (AFA/AEF) non-exclusive rights to publish entries in full or in part on the AFA/AEF website. All entries become the property of AFA/AEF and will not be returned. Entries will be judged in three divisions: grades 4-6, grades 7-8 and grades 9-12. All entries must be postmarked by February 10, 2006. One winner per household.

Grand Prize (30): A trip to U.S. Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama. Prize consists of round trip coach class transportation from gateway city nearest the winner’s residence to Huntsville, Alabama; accommodations for 3 days/2 nights for ten (10) winners grades 4-6, July 17-19, 2006; accommodations for 6 days/5 nights for ten (10) winners grades 7-8, July 16-21, 2006; accommodations for 6 days/5nights for ten (10) winners grades 9-12, July 16-21, 2006; three daily meals; ground transportation to and from Huntsville Airport and U.S. Space Camp; a flight suit with name badge, mission patch and Space Camp T-Shirt. Approximate retail value (ARV) is $1,000.00 for winners grades 4-6 and $1,600.00 for winners in grades 7-12. Flight changes made at the request of the winner, early arrival and early departure fees, trip cancellation insurance, meals, gratuities and all other expenses not specified herein are the winners’ responsibility. All prizes may not be awarded. Prizes are not transferable.