1. Students may send in one (1) completed Essay (not exceeding 600 words) on the topic :
   “Better City, Better Life with ICTs” via one of the following methods :
   

   •       EMAIL

   •        FAX

   •        STANDARD MAIL

2. The World Telecommunication Information and Society Day Essay Competition is open to residents of any CANTO member country
3. Entrant must be enrolled as a student
4. Entrant must be between the ages of 15-17.
5. CANTO employees and direct relatives are ineligible.
6. Only one (1) essay per entrant.
7. The essay must be based on the theme: “Better City, Better Life with ICTs”
8. The essay must be typed, double-spaced, and in Standard English. Each essay entry must include:
   

   a.       Name/ Address /Age of student

   b.      Name of Parent/ Guardian

   c.       Contact information (Address , Email and Telephone number ( including area code))

   d.      Name of School

9. Deadline for receipt of entries is May 3rd 2010
10. Essays must be original - CANTO reserves the right to disqualify any entry deemed inappropriate for publication, at their discretion.
    
    Submission Information
    
    Completed essays must be addressed to : and delivered either via Fax, Email, or Mail to:
    
    • Tricia Balthazar
      WTISD- Essay Competition
      67 Picton St, Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago
      Phone + 1(868)622-5582/3770/4781. Fax +1 (868) 622 3751
      Website: www.canto.org
      Email: tbalthazar@canto.org
      
    
    
11. All essays and rights to the publicationof the essay becomes the property of CANTO.
    

    a.       Entry (Essay) may be edited, used in whole or in part for promotional or any other purpose, including placing them online (e.g., on www.canto.org) or published in CANCION quarterly magazine) without any additional compensation.

    b.      CANTO reserves the right to use prizewinners' names and countries/island in any advertising or promotional materials relating to this competition without further notification, permission, or compensation to the winners.

12. Winners will be selected on or before May 17th 2010, and will be notified via email/phone.
13. Winning entries will also be posted online at http://www.canto.org/canto2010/
14. All winners will be required to submit a self portrait and short biography following notification
15. 1st prize winner will be required to write a follow up essay after the CANTO 2010 experience
16. Winners must provide proof of identification
17.  Airfare of equal or lesser value will be awarded to the first prize winner in the event that he/she resides in the host country of the CANTO Annual Conference and Trade Exhibition
18. By submitting an essay, each student acknowledges his or her understanding of and compliance with these rules.

Ø  1st Place:

•   Trip for 2 to attend CANTO 2010 in Curaçoa  

•   Hotel Accommodation

•   One Notebook Computer plus US$1000.00

Ø  2nd Place: A Notebook Computer plus US$500.00

Ø  3rd Place: One Smartphone plus US$250.00

Ø  4th Place: One Smartphone

Judging Criteria

Essays will be judged by screening groups consisting of a judging panel. The decisions of the judges will be final. Essays will be judged over a score of (100) points on the following criteria:

• Creativity /Originality: Entries must be the students’ own work, in the student’s own words, and may include personal experiences and thoughtful observations. Writing must reflect that the student has carefully examined and thought through the topic. (20 pts)
• Educational/Technical Value: The essay must provide educational value to judges/audience (30pts)
• Organization/Clarity: The material is presented in an orderly and logical sequence and must reveal the students thinking, with an organized presentation and development of theme. (25pts)
• Mechanics: The essay should contain correct punctuation, spelling, and grammar (25pts)