Official Contest Rules

No Purchase Necessary

1. Contest Description

“The OnPoint Prize for Excellence in Education” (the “Prize”) is sponsored by OnPoint Community Credit Union, with its principal place of business located at 2701 NW Vaughn Street, Suite 800, Portland, Oregon, 97210 (“Sponsor”). The nominations will be accepted for the contest between February 3 and March 30, 2012. Contest is void where prohibited or restricted by law. By entering The OnPoint Prize for Excellence in Education, each entrant accepts and agrees to be bound by these Official Contest Rules (the “Official Rules”).

2. Eligibility

To be eligible, an entrant must be a legal resident of the United States or its territories. Applicants must be full-time or job-share classroom teachers, counselors, or librarians of grades K-12 in an accredited public, private or charter school located within any county that OnPoint serves (Benton, Clackamas, Columbia, Crook, Deschutes, Jefferson, Lane, Linn, Marion, Multnomah, Polk, Washington, and Yamhill counties in Oregon and Clark and Skamania counties in Washington). Job-share applicants must complete separate applications and submit them together. If job-share applicants win Educator of the Year, they will split the award. Employees and immediate family members of employees of OnPoint are not eligible to participate in this contest. No purchase is necessary. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify ineligible entries; such entries will not be returned.

How to Enter:
Each contest entrant must complete the following to enter the OnPoint Prize for Excellence in Education:

  • The application form found at www.onpointprize.com.
  • Print out and mail nomination form, letters of recommendation and samples of teacher’s work to: The OnPoint Prize Selection Committee, PO Box 3750, Portland, Oregon 97208. It is the responsibility of the nominator or the nominee to fill out the form accurately. Nominations must be received by 5:30 pm on Friday, March 30, 2012. Nomination forms can also be dropped off at any OnPoint branch location.
  • The entry must comply with the guidelines outlined on the application form. If the entry does not comply with the guidelines, The OnPoint Prize Selection Committee reserves the right to disqualify the entry.
  • The contest will stop accepting entries after 5:30 pm on Friday, March 30, 2012.
  • If you would like to have your entry sent back to you after judging is complete you must include an envelope and/or box with pre-paid postage and mailing information filled out. This should be included with your entry.

3. Judging Criteria

Entries will be judged by a Selection Committee of community members selected by OnPoint. The committee will be comprised of citizens interested in, experienced with, and involved in, education, including representatives from OnPoint, educational institutions, state government, educational nonprofit organizations and/or the business community. The facilitators will not be permitted to enter the contest if they are selected as contest judges.

The entries will be judged on the following criteria: (a) demonstrated examples of the teacher’s creativity and enthusiasm in the classroom; (b) exemplary teaching methods and effectiveness; (c) examples of teaching methods that have a lasting impact on students, parents and peers (d) three letters of recommendation from teacher’s principal, a peer and a student/or student family member.

All decisions of the Selection Committee are final and are not subject to appeal.

Entries will be scored with a uniform matrix based upon the criteria set forth above as they are received. Each essay answer is worth 15 points for a combined total of 45 possible points. Each essay will be judged on its ability to convey the educator’s creative ability, skill, and thoroughness. Each entry should have three letters of recommendation – suggested sources include one from the teacher’s principal, one from a peer, and one from a student or student family member. The letters of recommendation are worth a total of 35 possible points. The letters of recommendation will be judged on enthusiasm for education, demonstration of the educator’s positive personal and professional traits, and distinctiveness of the educator. Each entry should include a portfolio that displays the educator’s work and accomplishments. The portfolio section is worth 20 points. The portfolio will be judged on its ability to display the educator’s creativity and uniqueness in teaching methods. The portfolio contents should demonstrate how the nominee goes above and beyond in the classroom and how that creates a positive impact on his/her students.

The winners will be determined between March 30 – April 30, 2012. Circle of Excellence winners (10) will be announced by 5:00 pm on Monday, April 30, 2012. The top five winners including the Educator of the Year, Community Choice Winner and three Finalists will be announced on Tuesday, May 22, 2012.

4. Prizes

First Prize - “Educator of the Year." Payments equaling 12 monthly mortgage payments. (Maximum mortgage payment of $2,500 per month. Proof of monthly mortgage payment will be required. Mortgage calculation will be based on actual monthly mortgage payment less any property tax, homeowner’s insurance, mortgage insurance, escrow payments, etc.) If the winner does not have a mortgage, an equal amount of monthly rent for 12 months will be awarded. (Maximum rent payment of $2,500 per month. Proof of monthly rent payment will be required. Rent calculation will be based on actual rent due less any utility costs or other expenses.) The Educator of the Year’s school will receive $5,000 for resources and supplies.

The Community Choice Winner will receive $1,500, and the winner’s school will receive a $1,500 for resources and supplies.

The three Finalists will receive $1,500 and $1,500 to his/her school for resources and supplies.

The remaining five Circle of Excellence winners will receive $250 for classroom supplies and a trophy.

OnPoint Prize winners that are existing members of OnPoint Community Credit Union must be in good standing with the credit union in order to be awarded the associated prize as described above.

Tax Consequences: Winners will be solely responsible for any and all local, state, and federal taxes incurred by their participation in the contest and acceptance of such prizes. Prizes may not be exchanged for cash or any other consideration. Sponsor will report any individual winnings over $600 (in cash or fair market value of goods or services) in a one-year period to the Internal Revenue Service. Winners will receive a Form 1099 from Sponsor for the value of any prize received subject to IRS reporting requirements. Sponsor may require a completed Form W-9 from the winner in order to submit the appropriate Form 1099 to the IRS.

5. Conditions and Limitations Apply

  • This promotion is void where prohibited by law.
  • Sponsor reserves the right to edit photographs or video submitted.
  • Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, or misdirected entries, including due to network failure.
  • Sponsor reserves the right to use any information submitted by entrants for any lawful purpose.
  • Previous OnPoint Prize Circle of Excellence winners must wait two consecutive years after their win before applying for the OnPoint Prize again.
  • Previous OnPoint Prize Educator of the Year winners are not eligible to apply for this award again.
  • All winners agree to the use of their names and likenesses in publicity without notice or any additional compensation, except where prohibited by law. By entering this contest, the winners acknowledge that Sponsor has the right to publicize and broadcast their name, voice, and likeness, the fact that they won, and all matters incidental thereto. Sponsor is not obligated to attribute submissions to their entrant.
  • By entering this promotion, each entrant releases Sponsor and its respective directors, officers, employees, agents, and subsidiaries from any and all liability, claims, causes of action, suits, and demands arising from or in connection with its lawful actions in conducting the promotion.
  • These rules are subject to modification by Sponsor in its sole discretion.
  • An entrant is not a winner unless and until entrant’s eligibility has been verified and entrant has been notified that verification is complete. In the event that a winner is determined to be ineligible, his or her prize will be forfeited and Sponsor reserves the right to select an alternate winner from among remaining eligible entries.
  • Sponsor reserves the right to terminate the Contest without awarding prizes if no eligible winner or alternate winners accept the prizes within the required time.

6. Additional Submission Rules

By participating in the Contest and submitting materials (the “Materials”) to OnPoint Prize for Excellence in Education awards you agree to and represent the following:

  • You grant to OnPoint, its affiliates, subsidiaries, and licensees a royalty-free, irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive and fully sublicensable license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, create derivative works from, distribute, perform and display the Materials in whole or in part, on a worldwide basis, to identify you in conjunction with such uses of the Materials, and to incorporate them in other works, in any form, in any and all media now known or ever devised, in any and all versions, worldwide in perpetuity for any purpose, including, but not limited to, broadcast, streaming, broadband, outreach, promotion, publicity, marketing, and advertisement of OnPoint and any of its properties or programming services.
  • You are authorized to submit the Materials for the contest, and you grant the rights in the Materials, as stated herein, whether or not OnPoint chooses to use the Materials for any particular purpose or at any particular time. You represent that you own all rights, title, and interest in the Materials or that you otherwise have authority to submit the Materials and to grant the license described herein. You represent that you have obtained all permissions, clearance, and releases from any third parties necessary to allow your submission and OnPoint’s use of the Materials, as set forth herein.
  • You represent that the Materials are not (a) unlawful, obscene, defamatory, libelous, threatening, fraudulent, abusive, pornographic, harassing, or encourages conduct that would be considered a criminal offense, or does or could give rise to civil liability or violate any law, rule, or regulation, or is otherwise objectionable; (b) non-public information about any company that you are not authorized to disclose; and (c) an advertisement, solicitation, chain letter, pyramid scheme, investment opportunity, or other unsolicited commercial communication.
  • You agree not to make any claim against OnPoint, its affiliates, subsidiaries, licensees, and assigns as a result of your participation in this promotion, any use of or decision not to use the Materials, including, but not limited to, any claim that such use invades any right of privacy, publicity, or both.
  • You understand that, other than the opportunity to enter this contest, you will not be paid any money or receive any form of compensation for giving OnPoint these rights. You further understand you will not be reimbursed for any costs you may have incurred in connection with submitting the Materials.
  • You represent that you are at least 18 years old and otherwise satisfy the entry and eligibility requirements described in these Official Rules.