The Jed Foundation (JED) 2024 Student Voice of Mental Health Awards – Scholarship Rules

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS SCHOLARSHIP. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW OR REGULATIONS.

1. Contest Sponsor

The sponsor of the Student Voice of Mental Health Awards Scholarship (the “Scholarship”) is The Jed Foundation (“JED”) located at 745 Fifth Avenue Suite 500, New York, NY 10151.

2. About the Scholarship

a. The JED Student Voice of Mental Health Awards Scholarship honors one undergraduate college student (sophomore year and above) and one high school student (16 years of age or older), each enrolled in schools in the United States, doing outstanding work to create communities of care in their schools and raising mental health awareness by leading initiatives, encouraging their peers to reach out for help, and building support systems for youth mental health and suicide prevention.

i. The Undergraduate Scholarship is open to currently enrolled undergraduate sophomore, juniors, and seniors attending college in the United States, see eligibility details below.

ii. The High School Scholarship is open to currently enrolled high school juniors and seniors who are at least 16 years of age or older attending high school in the United States, see eligibility details below.

iii. Applicants younger than 18 (a “minor”) must identify a parent or legal guardian who will be notified that the applicant has applied for the Scholarship. Minors who do not want their parent or legal guardian contacted with respect to this Scholarship should not apply. 

b. Completed application entry forms and required application materials (collectively, “Application(s)”) must be received by 5 p.m. EST on February 23, 2024, see deadline and entry details below.

c. A panel of judges will review and select the winning Applications, see selection details below.

d. Scholarship prizes and travel prizes will be awarded, and winners will be acknowledged, as follows:

i. The Undergraduate Winner will receive a Cash Scholarship Prize in the amount of $3,000,

ii. The High School Winner will receive a Cash Scholarship Prize in the amount of $3,000, and

iii. Both Winners will receive a Travel Prize in the form of a trip to New York City with a guest or parent to attend JED’s annual gala, to be held on June 3, 2024 (the “JED Gala”). Note: Both winners will be acknowledged, and required to attend and speak, at the JED Gala. See further details below. Applicants who cannot be in New York City on June 3, 2024 should not apply.

iv. Both Winners will receive recognition on JED’s website and social media platforms, and in JED publications and other JED media and publicity.

3. Application Requirements and Judging Criteria

a. Application Requirements:

Interested applicants must submit a 2-3 minute video essay answering the prompt “What initiatives are you implementing in your school / on your campus and how do you see that connecting to the future of youth mental health?” Applicants will support their video essay with a personal summary and links to any and all publicly available materials that speak to the work they are doing in their school community to raise mental health awareness by leading initiatives, encouraging their peers to reach out for help, and building support systems for youth mental health and suicide prevention. 

b. Judging:

i. Applications submitted by the deadline will be reviewed by a panel of judges selected by JED from among JED personnel. 

ii. The judges, in their sole discretion, will score the applications in the following categories:

      1. Impact
      2. Leadership
      3. Presentation
      4. Personal Connection
      5. DEI&A Experience & Values

iii. In scoring the Applications and administering the Scholarship, none of the judges nor JED will discriminate in any manner, including on the basis of race, color, nationality, ethnic orientation, sex, gender, sexual orientation or preference, disability, or any other protected class. 

4. These Official Rules Form a Binding Agreement 

Please note, by submitting an Application, you are agreeing that these Official Rules (the “Rules”) form a binding legal agreement between you and JED with respect to the Scholarship, which agreement includes your agreement to JED’s privacy policy, your grant of certain rights to JED and your giving certain representations, warranties, indemnifications, waivers, and releases to JED. Minors must obtain the consent of their parent or legal guardian before applying for a Scholarship. 

5. Eligibility: Who Can Enter and How Many Times

a. This Scholarship may be applied for by individuals who are undergraduate college students (sophomore year and above) and high school students (age 16 and above), who are enrolled in US schools, and who are residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia, and where their participation is not prohibited by law. 

b. The following are not eligible to apply for the Scholarship: employees and independent contractors of JED, its subsidiaries and affiliated companies, venders involved in the promotion and management of the Scholarship, the Scholarship judges, and the immediate family members of the forgoing. The term “immediate family member” includes spouses, grandparents, parents, siblings, children, and grandchildren.

c. A maximum of one Application per individual entrant (“Entrant”) is allowed.

d. A maximum of one Entrant per Application is allowed. That is, an Application must be the work of a single Entrant; Applications that are on behalf of two or more individuals, or a group or organization, are not eligible for a Scholarship.

6. Entry Period

The Scholarship submission process starts at 9:00 AM Eastern Time on JANUARY 29, 2024. ALL ENTRIES MUST BE RECEIVED BY 5:00 PM EASTERN TIME ON FEBRUARY 23, 2024 (the “Entry Deadline”). 

7. How to Enter and Entrant Identity

a. Eligible participants may enter online as follows:  complete the online Application and upload it in the formats indicated on the application entry form at http://jedfoundation.org/jedsvmha/.

b. All Applications will become the property of JED and will not be acknowledged or returned.

c. No Application will be considered that fails to include a completed application form, or is otherwise incomplete, or does not upload successfully, or fails for any reason to arrive by the entry deadline, or is unreadable, or is burdensome to read due to format, damage or otherwise. 

d. JED’s computer will be the official time-keeping device for any deadlines concerning the Scholarship. 

e. The author of a submitted Application as identified by name and contact information on the application form is deemed the Entrant for that Application. 

8. Winner Selection and Notification

a. Based on the Judging Criteria set forth above, a panel of Judges, chosen by JED, will select two proposed winners: one Undergraduate Winner and one High School Winner. In the event of a tie in total score, judges will choose based on the scores for the highest weighted category in which there is not a tie score. 

b. Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received.

c. Proposed winners will be notified on or before March 31, 2024, by email, telephone, or regular mail. If the proposed winner is a minor, the proposed winner’s parent or legal guardian will be notified as well.

d. Each proposed winner is required to provide: 

i. A completed affidavit of eligibility with a liability and publicity release (“Affidavit”), which, in the case of a minor, must also be signed by the minor’s parent of legal guardian,

ii. Proof of identity in the form of government issued photo identification, which in the case of a minor may be an alternate form of identification together with a government issued identification for the minor’s parent or legal guardian; and

iii. A social security or tax identification number if the proposed winner has been selected for a prize valued in excess of $600.

e. JED reserves the right to select alternate proposed winners in the event that a proposed winner:

i. Fails respond to notification of proposed win by JED within five business days of JED’s first notification to such proposed winner, i.e., within five days of the date of mailing or email by JED to proposed winner’s address as set forth on proposed winner’s application form; or 

ii. Fails to provide the foregoing Affidavit, valid proof of identity and if required, a social security or tax identification number, within ten days of JED mailing or otherwise providing such proposed winner with the Affidavit; or

iii. Is unable or fails to attend the JED Gala; or 

iv. Is otherwise deemed by JED ineligible or disqualified under these Rules or as a matter of law. 

f. JED reserves the right to select no or fewer winners (and reduce the number of prizes awarded accordingly) if none or an insufficient number of Applications received meet the stated application requirements, in JED’s sole discretion. 

g. All decisions of the judges and JED are final and binding. 

h. Winners will be announced once winners have been confirmed in accordance with the forgoing. A list of winners will be available for no less than 60 days following JED’s announcement of the winners at www.jedfoundation.org and by mail if requested by sending a self-addressed envelope, postage prepaid, to The Jed Foundation at the “Contest Sponsor” address set forth above ATTN: Student Voice of Mental Health Awards Scholarship. 

9. Prize Requirements, Prize Distribution, and Taxes

a. Winning the Cash Scholarship Prize and the Travel Prize is contingent upon compliance with these Official Rules, including without limitation, signing the required releases and waivers, and meeting the video and JED Gala participation requirements. All prizes are awarded “as is” and JED disclaims any warranties concerning the prizes.

b. To receive the Cash Scholarship Prize and the Travel Prize, the proposed winner must agree, at JED’s discretion, either to be videoed for a short “spotlight video” or to self-record a short “selfie video” as directed by JED.

c. For the Travel Prize, JED will arrange for and provide: (i) round-trip, economy class airfare to and from the nearest major U.S. airport to the proposed winner’s home for the proposed winner and the proposed winner’s guest; and (ii) one standard accommodation hotel room in New York City for two nights, i.e., the night before and the night after the JED Gala. If a proposed winner is a minor, their parent or legal guardian must accompany them to New York City and the JED Gala as their guest. If the in-person gala is canceled for any reason or is held virtually, JED reserves the right to cancel the Travel Prize. 

d. If a proposed winner is unable or fails to attend and speak at the JED Gala, the proposed winner will forfeit the Cash Scholarship Prize and the Travel Prize. If the JED Gala is held virtually and a proposed winner fails to attend and speak at the JED Gala, the proposed winner will forfeit the Cash Scholarship Prize. 

e. Cash Scholarship Prizes will be distributed by ACH or check via regular mail within ten days of the above required participation in the JED Gala. JED is not responsible for any lost or stolen prizes. Proposed winner will be required to provide a Form W-9. 

f. If a winner is under age 21, the Cash Scholarship Prize may be awarded to the winner’s custodial parent(s) or legal guardian(s) pursuant to applicable law.

g. All federal state and local taxes and/or fees on the prizes are solely the responsibility of the Winner. JED will issue an IRS Form 1099 in connection with any prize valued in excess of $600. 

10. Grant of Rights and Publicity Release

a. By submitting an Application, Entrant grants to JED:

i. The right to edit Entrant’s Application (including all submitted materials), including for legal compliance;

ii. A non-exclusive, royalty free, perpetual right and license to publish Entrant’s Application, in part or as a whole, on JED’s website or by any other means, throughout the world;

iii. The exclusive right and license for one year from the Entry Deadline to publish Entrant’s Application, in part or as a whole, on JED’s website or by any other means, throughout the world; and

iv. The royalty free right and license to use Entrant’s name, voice, likeness and biographical material (including city and states of residence and school of attendance), Application, in part or as a whole, and speeches and remarks, including without limitation recordings, videos, and photographs of the winner in advance of and at the JED Gala, each in part or as a whole, (collectively, the “Scholarship IP”) for publicity and promotion of the Scholarship and future Scholarships by JED, and for marketing, storytelling, editorial content, promotion, awareness, broadcasting, or any other purpose within JED’s mission in all manner and media now known or hereafter devised, in perpetuity and throughout the world, except where prohibited by law.

b. Entrant acknowledges that no compensation will be owed by JED to Entrant in connection with this grant of rights to the Scholarship IP. Entrant acknowledges that JED is not obligated to publish the Scholarship IP or any parts thereof regardless of whether Entrant is selected as a winner.

c. The parent or legal guardian of a minor Entrant must agree to these terms for the minor to be eligible for the Scholarship and any related prize. All Scholarship IP created in whole or in part by JED shall be owned by JED.

11. Use of Personal Information

Entrants hereby consent to the use of their personal information by JED and its agents for any lawful means concerning the Scholarship. Additionally, Entrants hereby accept and agree to JED’s Terms of Use at https://jedfoundation.org/terms-of-use/ and JED’s Privacy Policy at https://jedfoundation.org/privacy-policy/

12. Entrant Representations, Warranties, and Indemnification 

a. By applying for the Scholarship, Entrant represents and warrants to JED that Entrant’s Application is (i) completely the original work of the Entrant and was written solely by the Entrant, (ii) not copied from any other source or previously published or otherwise distributed or disseminated in any media or format, (iii) not in the public domain, (iv) not infringe upon or violate the copyright, moral rights, trademark, rights of privacy, publicity rights or any other rights, of any kind or nature, of any other person or entity and (v)not be in violation of any law or agreement of confidentiality or otherwise.

b. Entrant agrees to indemnify, defend and hold harmless JED and its subsidiaries, affiliates, officers, trustees, directors, shareholders, agents, attorneys, and employees, and any others involved in the development and/or execution of this Scholarship (collectively, the “JED Parties”), from and against any liabilities, losses, claims, demands, costs (including, without limitation, reasonable attorneys’ fees and expenses) arising in connection with any breach of the above representations and any representations and warranties Entrant makes under these Rules or in connection with claiming a prize or in the Affidavit. 

13. Waiver and Release of Liability

By applying for a Scholarship, Entrant and Entrant’s legal guardians, heirs, successors and assigns, hereby (i) waive any claims for liability against the JED Parties, for any personal injury or loss that may occur from the conduct of, or participation in, the Scholarship, or from the use of any prize or from any publicity in connection with the Scholarship and (ii) release and hold harmless the JED Parties, from any and all claims, demands, losses, promises, causes of action, and liabilities arising out of the Scholarship and any prize related thereto (including the trip to New York City).

14. Limitation of Liability

The JED Parties are not responsible for any damages or impact on the outcome of the Contest caused by human error, any mechanical, technical, electronic, communications, telephone, computer, hardware or software errors, malfunctions or failures of any kind, server unavailability, late or misdirected mail, printing errors, intentional interference, or any event beyond the control of JED (“Errors”). In the event of learning of such Errors, or if for any other reason, it is not possible to run the Scholarship as planned, JED reserves the right to terminate modify, or suspend the Scholarship, or make such other decisions regarding the Scholarship outcome and awarding of prizes, as JED deems appropriate. All decisions made by JED are final.

15. Governing Law and Severability 

The Scholarship is governed by the applicable laws of the United States of America and any applicable state laws. All claims rating in any manner to the Scholarship or to any entry or submission must be resolved in the federal or state courts in New York, New York. If a court determines that any provision of these Rules is void or unenforceable, the same will in no way affect any other provision of these Rules.