Micro Steps Contests

education in small steps and full circles

Contests With Cash Prizes

Micro Steps is happy to announce the following contests which are currently open. Each has cash prizes.

English Children's Rhymes is a contest to create new children's rhymes that have social value. The genesis and intent of the idea can be seen here. The contest announcement details follow:

Children’s Rhymes – English Language

History: Our research in three languages found that most children’s rhymes have either no social value or have negative social value. Very few children’s rhymes have positive social value. Creating new children’s rhymes that are both catchy enough for children to memorize and that have some positive social value can have an impact on the cultural norms that are passed on through the sub-cultures of children. This has potential to improve the social foundation upon which culture is based. Micro Steps, a non-profit organization based in California, is offering $1000 worth of cash prizes to authors who create children’s rhymes that meet the contest criteria.

Contest Rules and Details:

The contest is open to anyone (except Micro Steps board members, contest judges and their immediate families), without respect to race, country of origin, native language, religion, gender or other similar categories.
Submissions must be original work and a signed statement to this effect must accompany every submission.
Contest participants may make multiple submissions, but each entry must be submitted separately.
Parameters of submissions:

The rhyme should contain or imply at least one direct or metaphoric reference to some positive social value.

The rhyme should not contain negative social content such as suggestions of divisive / exclusive ethnic, sexist, political or religious concepts.

Rhymes should have catching tunes and or rhythm so children will enjoy the sound of repeating them. Messages in the rhymes may be subtle or overt.

Decision of the judges is final. Judges may use any method or criteria to determine the winners.
Each submission must include the following:
Name and contact information of the contest participant (typed or submitted electronically)
The rhyme (typed or submitted electronically)
A completed submission form
Optionally an mp3 (or other standard audio file), CD or tape recording of the rhyme as children would sing it

Prizes:

$1000 in total cash prizes

First Prize: $500.00 (five hundred US Dollars)
Second Prize: $200 (two hundred US Dollars)
Third Prize: $150 (one hundred fifty US Dollars)
Fourth Prize: 3 fourth place prizes each of $50 (fifty US Dollars)

Submissions:

Contest entries may be submitted electronically or through the mail.
Electronic submission may be emailed to: micro.steps.contest@gmail.com. Each email submission should have the submission form and an optional mp3 or other standard audio file. Questions about the contest can be sent through the contact form on the Micro Steps web site.
Submissions sent in by mail should contain the signed submission form and an optional CD or tape with the audio file on it. These submissions should be mailed to:

English Rhyme Contest
Micro Steps
P.O. Box 442
Big Oak Flat, CA.
95305-0442
USA

Deadline: All contest entries submissions made must be postmarked or emailed before the end of November, 2008.

Judging: Judging will take place in December and results will be announced on the Micro Steps web site by January 1, 2009.

Download the contest entry form here.

Share the news: Download the announcement. Download a poster and put it up in your town, university, school or workplace. (The poster is two half sized posters on one page. Just print and cut in half.) Here is a lower resolution version that will download faster.