Official Rules and Terms of Participation

MATHCOUNTS, the nation’s premiere middle school mathematics education program, once again will  be conducting the Reel Math Challenge for the 2012-13 school year. This is a free contest and will be open to all U.S. middle school students. By entering in the Reel Math Challenge video contest, each entrant agrees to be bound by the following rules.



Contest Overview

The Reel Math Challenge will have teams, each consisting of four students, create a video based on one of the problems in the 2012-13 MATHCOUNTS School Handbook. The teams will select one of the problems included in the School Handbook and make a video teaching the problem and showing a real-world application of the math concept on which the selected problems is based.



Eligibility

In order to be eligible to participate in the Reel Math Challenge, an entrant must be a legal resident of one of the fifty (50) United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, or Guam and must be currently enrolled as full-time students in grades 6 through 8 (or equivalent) at a public, private, or home school. Those U.S. citizens currently enrolled as a full time student in grades 6 through 8 (or equivalent) at U.S. State Department and Defense Department dependent schools located internationally are also eligible. Any immediate family members or household members of MATHCOUNTS employees, officers, directors, or board members are not eligible. Additionally, any immediate family members or household members of consultants and independent contractors who have, within the past twelve months, performed services for MATHCOUNTS are also not eligible. "Immediate Family Members" shall mean children, stepchildren or similar. "Household Members" shall mean those people who share the same residence at least three months a year.



Sponsor and Administrator

The Sponsor and Administrator of the Reel Math Challenge contest is MATHCOUNTS Foundation, 1420 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314.



Rules for Videos and Video Submission

  • All student teams must have exactly four members, although all four members do not necessarily need to appear in the video. The students may split up the various tasks associated with the project, as they like. Subject to securing the appropriate written permissions, additional people not on the official team may appear in the video, but only the four team members will be recognized for advancement and recognition in the contest. Students do not have to combine with students from their own school, or even students from their hometown or state.
  • Videos submitted must be no more than 5 minutes in length. Furthermore, videos must be in English or subtitled in English.

  • Content in the videos, including music, audio, speech/voiceovers, stills, video supers or other audiovisual materials must be: 1) entirely original, created and performed by the entrants; 2) original creations of works in the public domain and/or 3.) content that allows royalty-free use of the material with no restrictions by entrant and MATHCOUNTS. Videos cannot contain copyrighted content owned by third parties except as noted. For more information please visit http://reelmath.org/what-music-andor-video-can-i-use-my-video.

  • Other than the team members, no one else may appear or provide voiceover for the video entries unless the team has obtained written permission from those persons whose name, image, likeness, or voice ("Likeness") is included in the video, and that such person(s) have granted the team and MATHCOUNTS all necessary rights to use the person's Likeness as described in these rules, and that team provides MATHCOUNTS with copies of such permissions. If the Likeness of a minor is included, such grant of rights must include written permission from the minor's parent or legal guardian authorizing the use of the minor's Likeness on behalf of the minor.
  • Video content may not defame or disparage any individuals, companies, organizations or institutions. Furthermore, the videos may not contain nudity, lewd or vulgar behavior, offensive language and/or gestures.
  • Students may participate on more than one team.
  • Each team may submit more than one (1) video. However, a team may only have one video submission be eligible for advancement. Should a team have more than one video place in the top 20 in votes received, only the highest ranked video will be classified as a semifinalist and become eligible to advance to the top 4 finalist videos.
  • While teams are eligible to submit more than (1) video, each submission must feature a different handbook problem.
  • Prior to uploading a video submission, each entrant must register for the contest. To register for the contest, entrants must access and submit the Team Member Registration Form on the contest website. In addition to submitting a completed Registration Form, each entrant must have his/her parent complete a digital Release Form before any video submission can take place. Each member of the team must have a parent or guardian provide approval on the release form in order to approve the team’s submission.
  • The MATHCOUNTS School Handbook will be available for free download on the MATHCOUNTS website by September 4, 2012. Teams may begin working on videos at that time. Teams will be able to submit videos until 6:00 PM ET on February 28, 2013. No videos may be uploaded after this time. Once a video is uploaded, entrants cannot change or modify the video, so please ensure that the file to be submitted is the final version of the video.
  • Videos will not be posted for public viewing and voting until January 7, 2013. Voting will remain open until 6:00 PM ET on February 28, 2013. Selection of the four video finalists will be made by March 28, 2013.



Judging and Selection of Winners

The videos will be posted to the contest website where the public will vote on the best videos. The 20 videos with the highest vote totals will advance to the semifinals of the competition. At this point, a panel of MATHCOUNTS judges will review the top 20 videos and select four finalists. Each of the four finalist team members along with one adult chaperone will receive an all-expense paid trip to the 2013 MATHCOUNTS National Competition, where they will present their videos to those participating in that event. Should a video created by a team located outside of the continental United States be selected as one of the top 4 videos, MATHCOUNTS will reimburse said team up to $3,000 per team to attend the event. Travel costs exceeding $3,000 would be the responsibility of the participants. Teams do not need to appear at the National Competition to have their videos considered for the grand prize. The 224 students who are competing in the MATHCOUNTS National Competition then will vote for one of the four videos to be the winner of the Reel Math Challenge. Once the winner has been decided and the contest has concluded, the website containing the archive of videos will remain available for public use at no charge.



Notification

The finalists will be contacted by phone, letter, and/or e-mail by March 15, 2013. The finalists and title of their entries will be posted on the Reel Math Challenge website, www.reelmath.org.



Prizes

Each Friday MATHCOUNTS randomly selects one of the videos in the contest as our weekly prize drawing winner. Each of the four students on that team will receive a $25 Amazon gift card. For the final weekly prize drawing, March 1, each student on that team will receive a Samsung tablet computer instead of the Amazon gift card. Videos must be submitted by 6:00 PM(EST) on the Thursday before the drawing date in order to qualify for the prize drawing. The more videos you submit into the challenge the more chances for your team to win!

All student members of teams that reach the finals of the Reel Math Challenge will receive a Droid DNA by HTC.  Please note that the phones will be provided without any cellular service contract.  Access to the internet, apps, and internet-based services will only be accessible through WiFi connection.  (For those who wish to activate the device in order to utilize the phone on a cellular network, it will be the responsibility of the individual to purchase the necessary cellular service, which may require an activation fee and service contract through a cellular provider.)

Each of the four members of the team that created the winning video will receive a $1,000 college scholarship.

If applicable, all prize recipients are responsible for any and all federal, state and/or local taxes resulting from acceptance of the prize. Prizes are nontransferable. If a prize cannot be awarded due to circumstances beyond MATHCOUNTS’ control, a substitute prize of equal or greater retail value will be awarded; provided, however, that if prizes are awarded but unclaimed/forfeited by recipient, the prize will be deemed forfeit and void and will not be awarded, except in MATHCOUNTS’ sole discretion. MATHCOUNTS reserves the right not to award any prizes.

As the Reel Math Challenge video contest is one of skill, the odds of winning depend on the quality of the entries and the number of eligible entries received.

General Terms and Conditions

  1. Teams do not need an official coach or teacher in charge of their video project; however, the parents/guardians of all four students must give permission for their child to participate in the contest. As a precondition of participation in the Reel Math Challenge contest, parents will be required to execute a digital Release Form on behalf of each team participant.
  2. By entering the contest, each entrant accepts and agrees to be bound by these Rules. Non-compliance with any of these Rules may result in, at MATHCOUNTS’ sole discretion, disqualification and awarding of a prize to an alternate winner.
  3. MATHCOUNTS assumes no responsibility for lost, incomplete, misdirected, illegible, late, malfunctioning or non-functioning entries, or for failed computer transmissions or any other technical failures.
  4. If for any reason the Reel Math Challenge contest is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of the contest, MATHCOUNTS reserves the right at its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the contest, and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the contest.
  5. Upon entry into the contest, each entrant hereby assigns and forever transfers all right, title, and interest, including the copyright and publications rights, in the video to MATHCOUNTS and its successors and assigns. The entrant also agrees that MATHCOUNTS shall be the sole owner throughout the universe and in perpetuity of any and all rights in and to the video and any written or recorded works derived therefrom for all purposes whatsoever and in any manner or media including, without limitation, videocassette, DVD, computer on line services and any and all media now known or hereafter developed in the future. The entrant shall have no rights or interest thereunder whatsoever.
  6. Upon entry into the contest, each entrant gives and grants to MATHCOUNTS, its agents and their respective licensees, successors and assigns the irrevocable right to use, publish and copyright their name, voice, photograph, video images, likeness, and biographical data as set forth in their video entry, in whole or in part, in any and all media now known or hereafter developed throughout the world in perpetuity.
  7. Upon entry into the contest, each entrant gives and grants to MATHCOUNTS the right to use their name, voice, likeness, biographical data, city, state and country of residence in promotions and other publications, both print and online.
  8. Each entrant warrants and represents that the video is original with the entrant and that the use of the video by MATHCOUNTS, its agents, and their respective licensees, successors or assigns will not violate the rights of any third parties. In the event of any claim that the video does violate the rights of any third party, the entrant hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless MATHCOUNTS, its officers, directors, employees, agents and their respective licensees, successors and assigns, from any and all such claims, demands, actions, damages, costs and expenses (including attorney’s fees).
  9. Upon entry into the contest, each entrant releases MATHCOUNTS, its agents, and their respective licensees, successors or assigns from any and all liability with respect to or in any way arising from this contest and/or acceptance or use/misuse of the prizes, including but not limited to liability for personal injury, bodily injury including wrongful death or disability, damage to property, and damage or loss of any other kind.
  10. MATHCOUNTS shall not responsible for cheating or fraud by any of the entrants. Any activities intended to disrupt or interfere with the contest, or defraud MATHCOUNTS in any way will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Entrants who engage in any of the foregoing activities will be disqualified and will forfeit any prize won.
  11. Any and all disputes that cannot be resolved with MATHCOUNTS, and causes of action arising out of or connected with this contest, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, before a court of competent jurisdiction located in Alexandria, Virginia, which court shall apply the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia without regard for rules of conflicts of law. IN ANY SUCH DISPUTE, ENTRANTS SHALL NOT BE ENTITLED TO ANY PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ATTORNEYS' FEES, OR ANY DAMAGES OTHER THAN ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET EXPENSES (IF ANY) ASSOCIATED WITH PARTICIPATING IN THE CONTEST. ENTRANTS HEREBY WAIVE ANY RIGHTS TO HAVE DAMAGES MULTIPLIED OR INCREASED.



Terms of Participation

To participate in the Reel Math Challenge video contest, each student (“Entrant”) must consent to the following terms and conditions. Upon submission of a video (“Entry”) to MATHCOUNTS for the Reel Math Challenge video contest and for good and valuable consideration, receipt of which Entrant acknowledges, Entrant hereby agrees, as follows:

  1. Entrant hereby assigns and forever transfers all right, title, and interest, including the copyright and publications rights, in the Entry to MATHCOUNTS Foundation (“MATHCOUNTS”) and its successors and assigns. Entrant also agrees that MATHCOUNTS shall be the sole owner throughout the universe and in perpetuity of any and all rights in and to the Entry and any written or recorded works derived therefrom for all purposes whatsoever and in any manner or media including, without limitation, videocassette, DVD, computer on line services and any and all media now known or hereafter developed in the future. Entrant shall have no rights or interest thereunder whatsoever.
  2. Entrant gives and grants to MATHCOUNTS, its agents and their respective licensees, successors and assigns the irrevocable right to use, publish and copyright, Entrant’s name, voice, photograph, video images, likeness, and biographical data as set forth in the Entry, in whole or in part, in any and all media now known or hereafter developed throughout the world in perpetuity.
  3. Entrant acknowledges that MATHCOUNTS may make recordings, pictures, videos or images of Entrant separate from the Entry, for example, in publicity releases announcing contest winners. Entrant acknowledges and agrees that all right, title, and interest, including the copyright and publications rights in and to any recordings, pictures, videos or images taken of Entrant by MATHCOUNTS, or any derivatives thereof, are solely owned by MATHCOUNTS. In connection with such recordings, pictures, videos or images taken of Entrant by MATHCOUNTS and derivatives thereof, Entrant gives and grants to MATHCOUNTS, its agents, and their respective licensees, successors and assigns the irrevocable right to use, publish and copyright, Entrant’s name, voice, photograph, video images, likeness and biographical data.
  4. Entrant warrants and represents that Entrant has the full right and power to enter into this Agreement and that this license does not in any way conflict with any existing commitment on Entrant’s part. Entrant further warrants and represents that the Entry has not been previously published and that the Entry has not previously won any awards.
  5. Entrant warrants and represents that the Entry is original with Entrant and that the use of the Entry by MATHCOUNTS, its agents, and their respective licensees, successors or assigns will not violate the rights of any third parties. In the event of any claim that the Entry does violate the rights of any third party, Entrant hereby agrees to indemnify and hold harmless MATHCOUNTS, its officers, directors, employees, agents and their respective licensees, successors and assigns, from any and all such claims, demands, actions, damages, costs and expenses (including attorney’s fees).