Rules & Regulations

Canada’s Coolest School Trip
Official Contest Rules and Regulations
Contest Period: September 9, 2019 – March 20, 2020

THE CONTEST PERIOD

1. The "Canada’s Coolest School Trip" Contest (the “Contest”) is run by Parks Canada (the "Contest Administrator"), in collaboration with The Royal Canadian Geographical Society, and with the prize sponsors. The contest will run online from September 9, 2019 at 12:00:01 PM (ET) until March 20, 2020 at 11:59:59 AM (ET) (the "Contest Period").

CONTEST GROUP ENTITIES

2. For the purposes of the Contest, the Contest Group Entities are: Parks Canada at 30, rue Victoria (PC-2-E), Gatineau, QC, J8X 0B3; and the partner: The Royal Canadian Geographical Society; together with their affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies, suppliers of materials and services related to the Contest, the contest website, http://CoolestSchoolTrip.ca/http://sortiescolairelapluscool.ca and any other corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship or other legal entity directly involved in the Contest (collectively, the "Contest Group Entities").

ELIGIBILITY

3. The Contest is open to all Grade 6,7, 8 and 9 and Secondary 1,2 and 3 (grades 6, 7,8 and 9 in Quebec) classes including split level classes containing Grade 6, 7. 8 or 9/Secondary 1,2 or 3 students who are residing in Canada at the time of contest entry and the Grand Prize judging. For greater clarity, any student residing outside of Canada during the contest entry and draw periods, or who is not in a Grade 6, 7, 8 or 9 or Secondary 1, 2 or 3 class or in a split class containing Grade 6, 7, 8 or 9 or Secondary 1, 2 or 3 students at the time of entering this contest is not eligible to enter. Classes from other educational systems in Canada with equivalencies to Grade 6, 7, 8 or 9 or Secondary 1, 2 or 3 may also be considered. Extra-curricular school clubs and groups are not eligible to enter.

Employees of the Contest Group Entities, their affiliates, advertising and promotional agencies, service providers, prize sponsors and the contest judges are not eligible to enter

HOW TO ENTER

4. The Contest may be entered online only, by completing the online entry form emailed to registrants as of October 15th, 2019, in full and meeting the other contest entry requirements at http://CoolestSchoolTrip.ca/http://sortiescolairelapluscool.ca within the contest entry period. Contest entries received by mail will not be accepted.

Contest Entry: Part 1

Entry into the contest requires the authorization from a teacher or principal of a school. The online entry form must be completed in full by a teacher or education assistant.

Contest Entry: Part 2

To complete the official contest entry, the class must do the following:

I. Complete the online submission form which will be sent out as of October 15th, 2019. This form will serve as proof that the submission is student driven. As a class, students must participate in their own conservation project. The project must:

Be planned, organized and executed solely by the class.
Include the participation of all students in the class for a minimum of 4 hours each (additional hours are encouraged but will not be evaluated)
Contribute to the protection of the local environment or presentation of local history or culture

Together, the class must create a video about their project. The video must focus on the conservation effort by the class to contribute to the protection of the local environment and/or conservation of local history or culture.

These themes can be covered through any course including social studies, history, geography, science, language arts, the arts or other.

II. All videos must:

Be the original creation of the classroom entrant as represented by the account. All elements, including music and images must be original or the entrant must have obtained all of the proper approvals and permissions from the copyright holders.
Be presented in at least one of Canada’s two official languages, English or French.
Be no longer than 60 seconds. Anything beyond the allotted time will not be considered as part of the finished product.
Be uploaded in the following video file types: 3GP, AAC, AVI, FLV, MP4, MOV and MPEG-2.

III. All contest participants or class must:

Acquire permission from students, parents/guardians and the school prior to including photos or other identifiable information.
Authorize the Contest Group Entities to use the contents of the entry for educational purposes. This includes rights to use, modify, broadcast, webcast, publish and distribute the entry or parts of the entry.
Upload, before Friday, February 28, 2020, at 8:59:59 PM (Eastern Time), the video on the contest website where it will become available for public voting on Monday March 9, 2020. Upon submission of the video, classes will have to complete an online form with the video and proof that the submissions is student driven. Portions of this form will be visible to the public while some will be visible only to the judges. To be considered student-driven, the majority of inspiration, planning, filming, editing and post-production must be done by students in the class. Teachers and other volunteers may assist as necessary; however, the majority of work should be done by students.
Only submit one contest entry. There is a limit of one contest entry per eligible class; duplicate entries, incomplete entries, and entries with falsified information will be disqualified. The decision to disqualify any entry is at the sole discretion of the Contest Judges, and will occur without notice or communication to the entrant. The disqualification decision of the judges is final and not subject to review. Videos submitted that do not adhere to the required subject matter or file formats will be disqualified.
Use only one (1) email address of the teacher who enters the Contest on behalf of his, her or their Grade 6, 7, 8 or 9/Secondary 1, 2 or 3 class or split class. In the event of a dispute regarding the identity of an entrant, the entry will be deemed to have been submitted by the authorized holder of the email address at the time of entry. For these purposes, the "authorized holder" is the natural person who is assigned to the submitted email address by an Internet access or online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted email address.
Submit their entry no later than Friday, February 28, 2020 at 8:59:59 PM (Eastern Time). Late entries will be disqualified. There is no fee to enter this contest, and no purchase is necessary.
Must engage the community to encourage votes for their video. The fifteen (15) shortlisted classes, include the classes with the ten (10) videos that receive the most votes, and the classes with the five (5) videos that are chosen to be the staff picks will be asked to explain in 250 words or less, the methods by which they promoted their video within the community. These fifteen (15) classes will be contacted by email on March 20, 2020 and must submit their 250 words by 12:01pm ET on March 23, 2020. All classes must demonstrate community engagement in order to qualify for contest prizes.

THE VOTING

5. Once a video is submitted to the contest it will remain hidden from the public until 12:01 PM (Eastern Time) on Monday, March 9, 2020. At that time all submissions will be visible on the contest website and the public voting period will begin. Voters will be required to register their e-mail address on the website. Voting is limited to one vote per person per calendar day in Eastern Standard Time. Anyone is eligible to vote for their favourite video(s).

In order to ensure that only valid e-mail addresses are used to register votes, a confirmation email will be sent for each vote. To validate the vote, the link in the confirmation e-mail must be clicked.
Vote totals will not be shared publically throughout the contest. Videos will be shown in random order. At the end of the first week of the voting period (March 13, 2020), and the leading top ten (10) videos will be announced on the official social media accounts of Parks Canada. At 5:01pm ET on March 20, 2020 the fifteen (15) short-listed videos will be announced on the official social media accounts of Parks Canada. These will include the top ten (10) videos selected by the voting public, and an additional five (5) staff picks videos selected by judges from the contest group entities. Together, these fifteen (15) videos will move on to the judging round.
At no point will the total number of votes cast for each classroom be public. Totals will be used by the judges only to determine the top ten videoss as decided by public vote.
The top ten (10) and five (5) staff picks videos will be short-listed and judged by a panel of judges made up of contest partners to determine the winners of the grand prize, the runner-up prizes and honorable mentions.
Public voting opens on March 9, 2020 at 12:01:00 PM (Eastern Time).
Public voting closes on March 20, 2020 at 12:01:00 PM (Eastern Time).
Judging panels will select the winners during the week of March 23, 2020 at the offices of The Royal Canadian Geographical Society
Winners will be notified between April 1 and April 30, 2020.

THE JUDGING

6. Between the dates of March 25 and March 29, 2020, at the offices of The Royal Canadian Geographical Society, 50 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, a panel of judges from the Contest Group Entities will select the grand prize runner up and honourable mention entries from the fifteen (15) short-listed videos composed of the top ten (10) and five (5) staff picks videos. Judging will be based on this rubric of criteria.

The decision of the judges is final and binding without right of appeal.

THE GRAND PRIZE: CANADA’S COOLEST SCHOOL TRIP

7. There will be one (1) Grand Prize awarded for the winning class, with a maximum number of thirty-five (35) students and one (1) adult chaperone per ten (10) students from the single winning class. A minimum of one adult chaperone must possess valid first aid and CPR training. The retail value of the prize trip is approximately $50,000 CAD. The travel prize will be a five (5) day and four (4) night adventure in British Columbia. The travel details are:

Travel dates: June 8-12, 2020. Travel dates are firm and no deviations are permitted. There are no blackout periods.
Flights: Round-trip economy class flights to and from the airport served by Air Canada nearest the winning class for travel to Calgary, Alberta, are included. These flights will be supported by Air Canada.
Accommodations: camping at Parks Canada places and possibly a night in a hotel in British Columbia/Alberta.
Airport transfers from the winners’ homes to their nearest airport served by Air Canada are not included.
Airport transfers to and from the accommodation sites are included as well as ground transportation for the entire stay.
Any entry fees for activities are included.
All meals while travelling are included.

Grand Prize Travel Conditions: The Grand Prize class trip must be accepted as awarded, and is non-transferable. All students must have permission to travel from their parent/guardians and must have submitted a signed mandatory release form prior to travel.

The Grand Prize trip will take place from June 8-12, 2020. The travel partners reserve the right to select the travel date and structure the travel route at their sole discretion.

The travel prize has no cash redemption value. If a winner or chaperone is unable to travel on the required dates, they will forfeit the prize. The contest judges may elect to choose another winner. Air travel (if required) is from the airport served by Air Canada nearest to the winner’s point of departure. All members of the travel party must travel at the same time, and depart from the same airport. No travel deviations are permitted. Retail values are shown in Canadian Dollars. Travel insurance is not included. All winners are encouraged to purchase their own travel and medical insurance. All members of the travel party are responsible for all personal travel documents such as passports or visas that may be required

All expenses not expressly specified as being included in the Travel Prize are the responsibility of the winners. This includes, but is not limited to, personal travel insurance costs, tips and gratuities, extra amenities, hotel charges other than accommodation (e.g. telephone, fax or cable charges, mini-bar, room service, laundry or other hotel services) or expenses or any other costs not specifically listed as being included in the prize package.

Air travel is not eligible for any frequent flyer program points or credit.

The Contest Group Entities make no express or implied warranties of any kind with respect to safety, or performance of the contest prizes.

RUNNER-UP PRIZES

Three (3) runner-up winners will be selected from the short-listed 15 videos, including the top ten (10) videos as determined by public voting and the five (5) staff picks videos. Each video’s score will be determined by a panel of judges based on the rubric provided here.

Each winning class of a runner-up prize will receive a field trip to a local Parks Canada place, including transportation and programming, up to a maximum value of $1000. Any additional costs are the responsibility of the class. If the class is not located near a Parks Canada place, the contest group entities will arrange a field trip, including transportation and programming, to a similar location of historical or natural significance, up to a maximum value of $1000. Additional costs for remotely located classes are at the discretion of the contest group entities.

Winners of the Grand Prize and Honourable Mention Prizes are not eligible to win Runner-up prize packages.

HONOURABLE MENTIONS

Six (6) honourable mentions will be awarded a prize package from the Contest Group Entities. Winners will be selected by region. If a region is not represented within the short-listed fifteen (15) videos, winners will be selected at the discretion of the judges and may be chosen from all entries received or from any region.

BC + AB (1 honourable mention)
SK+MB (1 honourable mention)
ON (1 honourable mention)
Quebec (1 honourable mention)
NB+NS+PEI+NL (1 honourable mention)
NU+NWT+YK (1 honourable mention)

Winners of the Grand Prize and Runner-Up Prizes are not eligible to win honourable mention prize packages.

Prize packages include:

A gift bag containing selected Parks Canada merchandise (per student)
A one-year subscription to Canadian Geographic (per winning class)
One Canadian Geographic photo magazine (per student)
A reference book/publication featuring Parks of Canada’s national parks and/or national historic sites (per winning class)

AWARDING THE PRIZES

8. The school’s authorizing teacher or principal will be contacted by phone from one of the Contest Group Entities between April 1 and 30, 2020 during regular school hours. Each student, teacher, parent/guardian chaperones in the selected classes must agree to accept the Grand Prize, runner-up prizes and honourable mentions as awarded and fulfill the requirements set out in Section 9 below. The Prizes are not redeemable for cash or credit. If for any reason the authorizing teacher or principal cannot be reached after two attempts, and does not respond within five (5) business days of being contacted, or is unable to accept the prize as awarded, his/her entry will be declared null and void, and the Contest Group Entities / Contest Administrator / the Judges reserve the right to select another eligible entry.

The Contest Group Entities will not be held responsible for the loss of prizes due to changes in mailing addresses, errors in completed Entry Forms or any other circumstances leading to an invalid, erroneous or incomplete mailing address or email address. Travel arrangements will be made within one month of departure.

TO BE DECLARED A WINNER

9. To be declared a winner of a contest prize (a “Winner”), a selected entrant must, in addition to meeting the Contest eligibility criteria and otherwise complying with the official Contest rules, first:

Be reached by telephone by a representative of the Contest Group Entities and respond within the five (5) business days immediately following the date of the phone call;
The Grand Prize winner must also ensure that all members of the travel party complete and sign the Contest Group Entities’ form of Declaration and Release including the permission and signature of a parent or legal guardian for each traveling student, and return it to the Royal Canadian Geographical Society, Attn: Desiree Archer at fax # 613-744-0947 or archer@rcgs.org no later than April 30, 2020;
Disqualification: If any one of the above mentioned conditions is not met, the selected entrant will be disqualified and shall not be entitled to receive any prizes. The Contest Administrator and the contest judges reserve the right, in their sole and absolute discretion, to verify the information on the contest entry form of any selected entrant, and if any information if deemed to be false, the Administrator reserves the right to disqualify that entrant and select another eligible entrant as a potential prize winner. The decision of the Contest Administrator/Contest Judges is final and binding, without right of appeal.

GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

10. Verification of Entries: The validity of any Contest entry is subject to verification by the Contest Administrator. Any incomplete or fraudulent entries will be rejected. Any entrant or other individual who enters or attempts to enter the Contest in a manner which is contrary to these official Contest Rules or which is otherwise disruptive to the proper operation of the Contest or by its nature is unjust to other entrants or potential entrants will be rejected and that entrant or purported entrant will be disqualified. All decisions of the Contest judges, who may be employees or independent contractors of the Contest Group Entities and Contest Administrator, with respect to any and all aspects of the Contest, including without limitation the eligibility or disqualification of entrants or entries, are final and binding without right of appeal.

11. The Odds: The odds of winning depend upon the number of eligible entries received.

12. Inappropriate online behavior will not be tolerated by the judges. Any class that is found to be misusing the contest website, social media, or other forms of communication inappropriately may be disqualified at the sole decision of the judges. Judges decisions are final.

13. This Contest is void where prohibited, and is subject to all applicable Federal, Provincial and Municipal laws.

14. Acceptance of Prizes: All Prizes must be accepted as described in these rules and cannot be transferred to another individual, substituted for another prize or exchanged in whole or in part for cash or credit. If for any reason a selected entrant cannot be reached through the contact information provided, or does not respond to the Contest Group Entities within five (5) business days of being contacted, or if there is any reason a winner cannot accept the prize as awarded, his/her entry will be declared null and void, and another eligible entrant will be selected from among the remaining eligible entries.

15. Substitution of a Prize: The Contest Group Entities reserves the right, in its sole and absolute discretion, and for any reason whatsoever, to substitute a Prize or any part thereof, with an alternate prize of equivalent value.

16. Other Termination of Contest: The Contest Sponsors, Contest Group Entities and Administrator reserve the right, in their sole and absolute discretion, to modify, cancel, terminate or suspend the Contest, in whole or in part, in the event of any cause or circumstance, including without limitation any virus, computer bug or unauthorized human intervention, unauthorized or automated voting, or any other cause that is beyond the control of the Contest Group Entities / Administrator, that could corrupt or affect the administration, security, impartiality or normal course of the Contest.

17. Release and Exclusion of Liability: By entering or attempting to enter the Contest, each entrant and/or purported entrant agrees: (i) to release, discharge, and forever hold harmless the Contest Group Entities, and their respective officers, directors, employees, shareholders, agents and other representatives (collectively, the “Releasees”) from any and all claims, actions, damages, injuries, demands, manner of actions, causes of action, suits, debts, duties, accounts, bonds, covenants, warranties, indemnities, claims over, contracts and liabilities of whatever nature or kind arising out of, or in connection with the entrant’s participation or attempted participation in the Contest, compliance or non-compliance with these Contest rules and acceptance and use of the Grand Prize any portion thereof; and (ii) if selected as a potential Prize winner, to sign (along with the signature of a parent or legal guardian) the Contest Group Entities’ form of Declaration and Release in this regard before receiving a prize.

The Contest Group Entities will not be responsible for lost, incomplete, late or misdirected entries or for any failure of the Contest website during the Contest Period, or for any technical malfunction or other problems with, any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers, access providers, computer equipment or software or for any technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website, or any combination of the foregoing, and will not be liable for any resulting injury or damage to any person or property arising from, or relating to, that person’s or any other person’s participation or attempted participation in the Contest, or attempted voting in the contest. Any attempt to deliberately damage any website or to undermine the legitimate operation of this Contest is a violation of criminal and civil laws and, should such an attempt be made, the Contest Group Entities reserves the right to seek remedies and damages to the fullest extent permitted by law, including criminal prosecution. (iii) Each winner must sign a release form, giving the Contest Group Entities permission to publish in print, broadcast or online, the winner’s name and likeness without remuneration.

18. Name/Image of Winners: By entering the Contest, the winners agree to abide by the Contest rules and authorize the Contest Group Entities and its advertising and promotional agencies and their respective employees or other representatives to broadcast, publish and otherwise use his or her name, photograph, image, statements regarding the Contest or any prize, place of residence and (or) voice for publicity purposes, without any form of remuneration, including without limitation, on any website operated by or on behalf of the Contest Group Entities.

19. Communication with Entrants: No communication or correspondence will be entered into with any Contest entrants about their specific contest entries, other than with winning entrants selected by the contest judges. Any follow-up communications will be for the purpose of gathering students’ or teachers’ opinions on the My Parks Pass/Mon Passeport Parcs program, and invite suggestions on how to make the program more appealing in the future.

20. Personal Information: The personal information gathered about contest entrants in connection with this Contest will be kept in a secure and confidential database, and will not be rented or sold. Personal information of the contest entrants will be used for the administration of this Contest, and may be shared with contest co-sponsors, excluding Parks Canada, for the purposes of operating this contest only. If you wish to opt-out after the registration process, please send a written request, including your name, address and phone number to:

The Royal Canadian Geographical Society, 50 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, Ontario K1M 2K1
Att: Desiree Archer
Subject: Canada’s Coolest School Trip Contest
Email: archer@rcgs.org