Competition Requirements

Theme: “Moving Forward with the Laws of Life”

As The Commonwealth of The Bahamas prepares to celebrate 50 years as an independent nation, what does it mean to you? The words vision, progress, positivity, love, wisdom, learning, and success come to mind. Each law selected as a topic for the 2023 Laws of Life Competition espouses one of these terms.

Moving forward, upward and onward requires continuous self-improvement. Personal growth also plays an integral part in the well-being of our community and ultimately our nation. Using one of the selected laws of life for your division, explain the meaning of the law and its effect on your life and how you see this linked to the important work of nation building.

Visit the resources page for helpful writing tips as you craft your essay.

Instructions for Students

As you write your essay, please select the law below that expresses a key value and/or ideal by which you should live. Explain why the chosen value/ideal is important  to the way you live your life by discussing your experiences, the lessons you’ve learned, and people who have served as living examples of your chosen value/ideal.

Once you have completed your essay or video, visit the “Submit Your Essay” page to register for the Laws of Life competition and submit your essay or video.

Rules

  1. Your essay must be written on one of the selected topics. The essay must be type-written. Please use a minimum 10-point print type font. HANDWRITTEN ESSAYS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.
  1. Please visit the “Submit”  page on our website to register and submit your essay for the 2023 Laws of Life competition. All essays and videos must be submitted through our online submission portal (no email or drop-off entries). Due to COVID-19, we are unable to accept entries submitted in person. Your health and safety is our highest priority.
  1. Entry deadline is Friday, February 10, 2023.  NO LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.
  1. FINALISTS WILL BE NOTIFIED ONCE THE COMPETITION IS COMPLETED. (WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT THE AWARDS CEREMONY.)

Contest Notes

Previous 1st prize and 2nd prize winners may not enter another contest within the same division. 3rd prize winners may enter another contest at any time.

Entries become the possession of the Laws of Life contest committee. The award-winning entries may be made available for publication.

PLEASE DO NOT CALL THE WRITING UNIT FOR RESULTS. The decision of the judges is FINAL.

Primary Division

Grades 5-6

Word Limit

250-350 Words

Please Note that ORIGINALITY is important. Essays under 250 words and more than 350 words will be disqualified. Word count must be noted at the end of the essay.

Junior Division

Grades 7-9

Word Limit

400-550 Words

Please Note that ORIGINALITY is important. Essays under 400 words and more than 550 words will be disqualified. Word count must be noted at the end of the essay.

Senior Division

Grades 10-12

Word Limit

600-850 Words

Please Note that ORIGINALITY is important. Essays under 600 words and more than 850 words will be disqualified. Word count must be noted at the end of the essay.

College Division

Participants must be 25 or under and registered at a local tertiary institution. Proof of Birth and registration must be attached to application.

Word Limit

850-1000 Words

Please Note that ORIGINALITY is important. Essays under 850 words and more than 1000 words will be disqualified. Word count must be noted at the end of the essay.

Essay MARKING Criteria

ESSAYS ARE MARKED ON THE CRITERIA BELOW. YOU CAN USE THIS AS A GUIDE AS YOU WRITE YOUR ESSAY AND TO CHECK YOUR WORK BEFORE YOU SUBMIT.

LOLEssayRubric

Video Division

This video competition is open to Secondary students in grades 10-12. The video can be created by an individual student or as a group project.

Create a short video using the following Law of Life:

“We carry within us the wonders that we seek without us” 

The purpose of the video is to demonstrate what the law means and how it factors in everyday life. Feature live people, stills, animation—whatever you think best conveys your message.

Video Specifications and Submission Process

  • Video entries should be a minimum of 45 seconds and a maximum of two minutes in length.
  • Video quality should be 1080p or higher.
  • Video format should be in mp4 and no larger than 1GB.
  • The video must be an original work.
  • No copyrighted material (music, images, etc.) or trademarks (company names, logos, brands, etc.) may be used unless you own or have a license to use the material for this contest. Written permission must be obtained and provided upon request for all copyrighted or trademarked materials.

Visit the Submit page to register and submit your video.

Requirements

One student must be designated as lead producer/director for the video. In addition, the Online Registration Form must include the name, cell phone number, and e-mail address of the teacher/parent who can be contacted about the entry if needed.

A release is required from each person who has a speaking role or is otherwise distinctly featured in the video, as well as those involved in the production of the video. (This authorization assures that those involved know that the video may be shown publicly without further consent required. The release(s) must accompany the Online Registration form and video. It must be signed by the participant(s), and if the participant/student is a minor, it must be signed by the participants’s parent/guardian. You may download the release form here and/or on the “Submit” page in the Video section. 

Video content must not promote illegal behavior; discriminate against or support prejudice toward others along ethnic, racial, religious, or sexual grounds; invade the privacy of any person; support or oppose a candidate for elected office or advocate for the passage or defeat of legislation; or otherwise be inappropriate as determined by the Templeton World Charity Foundation Inc. or the Ministry of Education.

All videos will be judged anonymously. It is therefore requested that as much as possible, entrants should not mention actual names of participants or schools in the video.

Please note that professionals in media, public relations, and education will participate in the judging process to help determine the winners.

Video MARKING Criteria