The West Florida BBB Laws of Life Essay Contest is a competition for winners of local Laws of Life essay contests.  BBB of West Florida, Inc. sponsors the regional contest to recognize the achievements of these exceptional youth who participate in local contests and to encourage schools and communities on Florida's west coast to engage in this enriching and valuable experience.

Entries for the 2012 Essay contest are due:

Must be submitted online or postmarked no later than June 8, 2012

Frequently Asked Questions:

Eligibility for Entering

Any school or youth services/community organization in the West Florida BBB service area that conducts a Laws of Life or other character-related essay contest during the 2011-2012 school year may submit their local winners to the Regional contest. The West Florida service area includes Pinellas, Hillsbourough, Pasco, Sarasota, Manatee, Charlotte, Collier, DeSoto, Hardee, Hernando, and Lee counties.

Only essays that have been judged and won a local contest may be submitted to the Regional Contest.

What grades levels are included?

There are two judging divisions-one for middle school (grades 6-8) and one for high school (grades 9-12).

What is the essay topic and is there a maximum length?

There is no specific essay prompt; essays should follow either the Laws of Life essay contest recommendations or use a "maxim" or quotation as in the Foundations for Life essay contest. You can also use the UncommonSense™ themes.

Essays should be no more than 3 typed, double spaced pages. Finalists will be asked to submit an electronic version of their essays, so contest coordinators are encouraged to ask for electronic files from their winners also.

How many entries can each local contest submit to the statewide contest?

In each division, the number of entries is determined by the total number of essays written in that division in the local contest, according to the following table:

Timeline and contest award ceremony

All entries must be submitted online or postmarked no later than June 8, 2012. Finalists will be notified by August 15, 2012 and will be invited to attend the Laws of Life Awards Ceremony (Fall 2012) in Clearwater at which time the awards will be announced. Authors of the first place winning essays for middle and high school will be asked to read their essays at the ceremony. Finalists will be notified of this possibility so they can be prepared.

Judging criteria

Only essays that have won a local contest, either Laws of Life, or another character-related essay contest may be submitted for judging in the regional contest. Essays will be judged primarily on their content-whether they are positive and life-affirming, include a "law of life" that the author believes will make the world a better place, capture a value or ideal in a special way, or explain and relate a quote or "Timeless Truth" effectively. Some importance to presentation and the mechanics of writing will be considered in judging to the extent that the ideas put forth by the author are clearly understood. In cases where the content is judged as having equal merit, the essay which is better written or presented will be given a higher score. Before submitting essays, local contest coordinators should assure that students have proofed and typed their essays.
Click here for a sample scoring rubric

Awards

Cash prizes will be awarded in both the middle and high school categories. Amounts are indicated below. All student finalists will receive recognition in the banquet program as well as a certificate of recognition. The local contest coordinators and teachers will also receive cash awards.

High School 

Middle School 

*maximum award $150

School awards 

Cover design contest

Each local contest that submits essay entries may submit one entry for a design for the cover of the winning essay booklet that is published each year. The cover entry does not have to be judged locally or the result of a competition. The design should be a graphic representation that depicts a student's "law of life". Entries can be full color, but not larger than 8.5 x 11. The cover design can be submitted on paper, but preferably as a .jpg or .eps file. Include an entry form with the student's entry. The winning student will receive $100 and be invited to the Awards Ceremony.

Submitting entries by mail

To submit entries by mail

1. Fill out an entry form for each essay to be submitted (see "how many entries" above),
2. Obtain the student and parent/guardian signatures
3. Paperclip (please no staples) the entry form to 5 (five) copies of each essay. No names or identifying information should appear on the essays.
4. Complete a Contest Coordinator Questionnaire and submit with your essays.
5. Entries must be postmarked by June 8, 2012
6. Send entries and Contest Coordinator Questionnaire postmarked by June 8, 2012 to:
   Todd Eikenberry
   BBB of West Florida, Inc.
   P.O. Box 7950
   Clearwater, FL 33758-7950

For further contest information

Email Todd Eikenberry at lawsoflife@bbbwestflorida.org
or call 727 535-5609 ext. 3304 with questions or for further information.

Contest Forms

Entry form
Contest Coordinator Questionnaire

"Volunteering as a judge leaves me inspired and enriched, and the students' essays remind all of us how valuable and necessary 'Laws of Life' are."

Robert Fields
Corporate Compliance & Ethics Office
Honda of America Mfg., Inc.