MyImpact Challenge - Submission Guidelines

Section I – General Rules

From September 11, 2025 through May 3, 2026 (the "Contest Period"), the Bill of Rights Institute will conduct a contest in all US states, the District of Columbia, US Territories, and American Armed Forces Schools Abroad for projects focused on civic engagement (the "Contest").

Entry Requirements:

Eligible students must log on to the Contest website and submit an entry following the Submission Guidelines
Entries may be submitted by individual students or by groups of up to five students
Only one entry per student or group is permitted
Students must submit the name and contact information of a supporting teacher if the teacher wishes to be considered for a teacher prize
For the purposes of this contest, the term "teacher" can include schoolteachers, as well as adult mentors such as leaders in youth organizations or homeschool parents
Only one teacher may be associated with each entry

        ⚠️ Important Submission Rules
        Only online submissions entered through MyImpact Challenge's online portal will be accepted
Entries that are mailed or e-mailed will NOT be accepted
Entries that are incomplete, submitted late, do not answer all required questions, contain information other than as requested, or otherwise do not comply with these Official Rules and Regulations will not be accepted

    

Copyright and Usage Rights:

By entering the Contest, entrants agree that the Bill of Rights Institute will own and administer 100% of the copyright in all entries submitted, with the perpetual right to use such entries. The Bill of Rights Institute may edit for grammar, modify for style only, and distribute the submitted entries, without any requirement of additional notification to or permission from the entrant. Entries will only be used to further the educational mission and goals of the Bill of Rights Institute.

Section II – Eligibility

Student Eligibility:

The Contest is open to all United States citizens or legal residents who are students who are no older than 19 and no younger than 13 as of January 1, 2026 who attend school in the United States, one of its territories or districts, or an American Armed Forces School Abroad, and:

Are in grades 7-12 attending public, private, religious, or charter schools, or
Are enrolled in a GED or correspondence school program, or
Are attending a home school program

Students may enter as individuals or in groups of up to five people.

        ❌ Not Eligible:
        Students who have graduated high school or received a GED before January 1, 2026, regardless of age
Past winners of the MyImpact Challenge Grand Prize, First Prize, Second Prize, or Third Prize

    

Teacher Eligibility:

Eligibility for teacher prizes is open to all United States citizens or legal residents who are older than 18 at the beginning of the Contest Period and are:

Professional schoolteachers
Volunteer youth class teachers
Leaders in youth organizations
Parents of homeschooled students
Similar mentors of students entering the contest

Determination of whether an adult meets the criteria to receive a teacher prize is at the sole discretion of the Bill of Rights Institute.

Section III – Submission Guidelines

Each submission must include the following three components:

📝 1. Principles and Virtues Essay

Word Limit: Up to 1,200 words

An essay expressing how the student or group's project furthers:

At least one Civic Virtue as defined in the Bill of Rights Institute's "Principles and Virtues"
At least one Founding Principle as defined in the Bill of Rights Institute's "Principles and Virtues"

📊 2. Project Report

Word Limit: Up to 2,000 words

A detailed report of the student or group's completed or in-progress civic engagement project. This report must include the following components:

The inspiration for the project
Details of the project's planning and execution
At least two examples of the project's actual impact on the community
How the student(s) grew in understanding of the role of Civic Virtue, knowledge of their communities, and their ability to support or impact them

📸 3. Visual Documentation

Visual documentation of the student or group's project and its results in one of the following formats:

Option A: Photographic Only

No fewer than 7 and no more than 10 high-resolution still photographs
Submitted in either JPEG or PNG format

Option B: Video Only

One video of no more than 5 minutes
Submitted in MP4 format

Option C: Mixed Photographic and Video

No fewer than 5 and no more than 7 high-resolution still photographs
One video of no more than 2 minutes
Photographs must be in either JPEG or PNG format
Video must be in MP4 format

Content Restrictions for Visual Documentation:

Submissions may not include copyrighted material (images, logos, artwork, music, or video clips) unless written permission is obtained from the copyright holder
Submissions may not include personally identifiable images or recordings of minors (under 18) unless a signed copy of BRI's media release form is provided for each identifiable minor
All images and videos must respect privacy and rights of individuals and may not depict offensive, discriminatory, or inappropriate content

Media Release Forms:

Individual submissions: The applicant must upload their own signed form
Group submissions: Each member of the group (up to five students) must upload their own signed media release form
Submissions without all required release forms will not be considered complete

📋 Final Submission Requirements

Each submission must adhere to all the submission requirements above and answer each question and all sub-parts
Each submission must adhere to the word limits for each question
Must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. PT on May 3, 2026
Only online submissions will be accepted for the contest
Only one submission per student or group of students will be accepted

Section IV – Judging and Timing

Judging Process:

After the Contest Period, judges selected by the Bill of Rights Institute will review eligible entries according to the Contest grading criteria and adherence to the Submission Guidelines
Based upon the scores assigned by the judges, top entries will be advanced to successive rounds of evaluation using the same criteria
Entrants advancing to the final round will be video-interviewed by a panel selected by the Bill of Rights Institute
Final prize winners will be selected based on a combination of the interview and the submission packet

🏆 Winner Announcement

Winners will be announced on the contest site on or before July 3, 2026.

Disqualification Policy:

The Bill of Rights Institute reserves the right to disqualify any individual they find or believe to:

Be tampering with the entry process or the administration of the Contest
Be acting in violation of these Official Rules and Regulations
Be plagiarizing content in any form

Judge Selection:

The selection of judges is within the sole and absolute discretion of the Bill of Rights Institute
Judges will not be allowed to judge any entry which they are directly connected to as a parent, teacher, or official of a school or district

Section V – Awards

💰 Student Cash Prizes

Student Grand Prize: $10,000 (1 winner)
Student First Prize: $7,500 (1 winner)
Student Second Prize: $5,000 (1 winner)
Student Third Prize: $2,500 (1 winner)
Honorable Mention: $1,500 each (6 winners)

👨‍🏫 Teacher Cash Prizes

Teacher Grand Prize: $500 (1 winner) - awarded to the teacher sponsoring the student winner of the Student Grand Prize
Teacher Support Prize: $500 (1 winner) - awarded to the teacher sponsoring the greatest number of valid Contest entries
Teacher Submission Prize: $250 each (up to 20 winners) - awarded to teachers who support the highest number of valid entries, with a minimum of 3 valid entries required to win a prize

📋 Prize Distribution Requirements

Prize winners must provide the following to receive prize money:

Publicity photos and information
Completed W9 forms
Direct deposit information

Note: Social Security and bank account numbers are requested from winners only for tax purposes or to enable the deposit of winnings. The Bill of Rights Institute does not sell or use student Social Security numbers or other personal information for any reason other than required reporting for Federal tax purposes and depositing payments.

Prize Distribution Timeline:

Prizes will be awarded within three (3) months of the close of the Contest
Prizes not claimed within 180 days of the check date will be void
The Bill of Rights Institute will make commercially reasonable efforts to deposit prizes in winners' bank accounts
The Bill of Rights Institute is not responsible for incorrect information provided by the contestant

Group Entry Prize Distribution:

Prizes awarded to groups of students will be split evenly between entrants.

⚠️ Tax and Legal Responsibilities

All entrants are solely responsible for:

Understanding and complying with all federal, state, and local laws, codes, regulations, and ordinances that may apply
Determining the tax consequences of any income received
Complying with all applicable laws in all respects
Understanding and complying with school policies (for teachers)

There may be tax consequences associated with the prizes and income received by Contest winners, which may include an obligation to report as income and to pay taxes on such income to federal, state, or local authorities.

Section VII – Availability Disclaimer

⚖️ Contest Administration

The administration of the Contest, including determining eligibility, selecting judges, evaluating entries, and awarding prizes, is within the sole and absolute discretion of the Bill of Rights Institute. No student or teacher has a right to appeal, contest, dispute, or otherwise challenge any aspect of the administration of the Contest, and any decision of the Bill of Rights Institute is final in all respects.

Technical Issues and Limitations:

No responsibility is assumed for incorrect or inaccurate entry information
The Bill of Rights Institute is not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, or delayed entries
No responsibility for technical malfunctions of telephone networks, computer systems, servers, or software
No responsibility for traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website

Contest Modifications:

If, for any reason, the Contest is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of the Bill of Rights Institute, the Bill of Rights Institute reserves the right to cancel, modify, or delay the Contest.

Section VIII – Nondiscrimination Policy

🤝 Equal Opportunity

In administering the Contest, the Bill of Rights Institute will not discriminate in any manner, including on the basis of race, color, national, or ethnic origin.

Section IX – Limitation of Liability, Governing Law, and Venue

⚖️ Legal Release and Limitations

By participating, entrants release Bill of Rights Institute and its parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, and their members, directors, officers, employees, and agents from any and all liability with respect to all aspects of the Contest including all losses, damage or bodily injury resulting from participation in this Contest, and the possession, acceptance, or misuse of prizes.

Dispute Resolution:

By participating in the Contest, entrants agree that:

Any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or connected to the Contest shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action
Any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering the Contest but in no event attorneys' fees
Under no circumstances will any entrant or submitting teacher be permitted to obtain any award for punitive, incidental, or consequential damages

Governing Law and Jurisdiction:

All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation, and enforceability of these Contest rules shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Virginia
Any legal proceedings arising out of this Contest shall be instituted only in the federal courts located in the Eastern District of Virginia
The parties consent to jurisdiction therein with respect to any legal proceedings or disputes arising under or relating to these Contest rules

Severability:

The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these Contest rules shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. In the event that any provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable or illegal, these Contest rules shall otherwise remain in effect and be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or illegal provision were not contained in these Contest rules.

📞 Contact Information

For questions about the MyImpact Challenge, please contact the Bill of Rights Institute through their official contest website.