GUIDELINES FOR ROTARY DISTRICT 7720
4-WAY TEST ESSAY CONTEST - 2020
Four-Way Test Contest Participant Information
From the earliest days of Rotary, Rotarians have been concerned with promoting high ethical standards in their professional lives. One of the world’s most widely printed and quoted statements of business ethics is The Four-Way Test, which Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor created in 1932 when he took charge of a company facing bankruptcy. This twenty-four-word test for employees to use in making decisions in their business and professional lives became the guide for sales, production, advertising, and all relations with suppliers and customers. The company survived and prospered and this is credited to this simple philosophy. Adopted by Rotary in 1943, The Four-Way Test has been translated into more than a hundred languages and published in thousands of ways. It asks the following four questions:
Of the things we think, say or do:
- Is it the TRUTH?
- Is it FAIR to all concerned?
- Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
- Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
For over 75 years, Rotarians have been using the 4-Way Test as a practical yardstick in their business, community and personal affairs. The 4-Way Test does not provide answers, but it does ask questions which the user (student in this contest) must answer. Thousands of Rotarians have used it and shared it with others. Millions of copies have been distributed to students and business associates. The test has been carved into granite monuments, displayed on billboards, written into labor contracts, printed on wrapping paper and umbrellas, and has been the theme of countless essay and speech contests.
The Purpose of the Contest
The purpose of the Four-Way Test Speech Contest is to foster ethics in everyday life, as well as in business. The contest is designed to introduce high school students to the Rotary principles of ethics and service, and to involve local Rotary Clubs with the youth of their communities. It also is aimed at encouraging young people to learn to express themselves well in public. In nearly every profession, the ability to express one’s thoughts and ideas clearly, concisely, and persuasively is an important skill.
Contest Topics For 2020
Students must choose one topic from the following list;
- How can the 4-Way Test impact my ability to make better decisions and serve my community?
- How can the 4-Way Test help me confront or deal with difficult or adverse situations?
- Can the 4-Way Test be used to evaluate public policies, news reports, or social media posts?
Eligibility
Any high school student, grades 7 and 8 in a town/city represented by a Rotary Club in District 7720 including public, private or home-schooled. Previous district First Place Winners may not compete this year.
Timeline
- March 6, 2020 – Clubs should notify the District Essay Test Committee Chair no later than March 6th that they will be holding a club contest and sponsoring a student to the district competition.
- April 17, 2020 – Club contests may begin at any time, but they must be concluded by April 17th.
- April 29, 2020 - The District Essay Test Committee Chair should receive an electronic copy of the club’s First Place Winner no later than April 29th for presentation to the District judges.
- May 18, 2020 - The District will announce a First, Second and Third Place winner on May 18th.
- June 2020 - All three winning essays will be published in the District’s June Newsletter.
Procedure
Clubs may organize their own competitions, using the rules contained in this guide. At the District level, contestants will not be identified by name or Club, only by contestant number. A panel of three judges will be selected for the District contest entries. Each judge will have a judging sheet and shall assign points for each aspect of the essay. (The attached judging sheet may be used by individual clubs for their own contest). In addition, each judge will list a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place choice. The number ratings from the judges will be aggregated and the cash prizes determined accordingly. In the event of a tie, the placement choices of the judges will be used to break the tie.
Awards
District Winners will receive a cash award as follows:
First Prize - $150; Second Prize - $100; Third Prize - $50.
Checks will be requested of the District Treasurer and arrangements will be made with each club to make the appropriate presentation of cash prizes for the winners of the District’s Essay Contest before the end of the school year.
Clubs may decide to recognize contest participants with smaller cash prizes and/or gift certificates, as well as winner recognition at their schools.
Essay Contest Rules
- Essays must be the original work of the student and reference the Four-Way Test as it relates to the student’s topic.
- Essays must be between 750 and 1000 words, double-spaced, and address one of the listed topics.
- Students must complete the entry form presented as part of this Guide and provide it to their sponsoring Rotary Club contest coordinator prior to the Club contest and according to that club’s entry deadline.
- Participating clubs must complete the application form presented with this Guide and send it with the club’s First Place winning essay to the District Essay Contest Committee Chair* no later than April 29, 2020. The application form and essay should be sent electronically, but also may be sent by regular mail.
* Deedra Durocher – deedra110@verizon.net
1704 High Street, New Bern, NC 28562 – 252-631-1509 (home), 252-670-1907 (cell)
Judging Criteria
Essays will be judged on Content at 50% (includes organization, originality of thought, clarity, success in addressing the topic in relationship to the 4-Way Test) and 50% on expressiveness of language, grammar, syntax, and vocabulary.
Judge’s Score Sheet
Using a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest score, judge each criteria separately, then add each for a total score.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||
|
Essay # |
Organization of Topic, Originality of Thought, Clarity, Relationship to 4-Way Test |
Writing Skill (expressiveness, grammar, syntax, vocabulary) |
Total Score |
Winners (1st, 2nd, 3rd) |
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|||||||
Club Application for Rotary District 7720 4-Way Test Essay Contest 2020
Rotary Club of: _____________________________________________________________
___ We will participate in the District 4-Way Essay Contest for 2020 and will notify the District Essay Committee Chair of our participation by March 6th by forwarding this Club Application as indicated below.
___ We understand our club’s contest will be open to any student enrolled in a public, private school or home schooled, in the 7th or 8th grade level, in our community.
___ We understand it is our club’s responsibility to arrange our club’s 4-Way Essay Contest so that area students may submit essays, addressing one of the three listed topics in accordance with the contest guidelines provided by the District.
___ We understand our club can determine the timeline for our contest, the type of awards to be presented to winners, and the method of recognition given to winners and/or all participants.
___ We understand our local club contest must be completed by April 17th
___ We understand that our First Place winner’s essay and entry form must be submitted to the District Essay Committee Chair by April 29th by email to deedra110@verizon.net and/or mailed to Deedra Durocher, 1704 High Street, New Bern, NC 28560
Our Rotarian contact is: ________________________________________________________
Home Phone: ___________________________ Cell Phone: ___________________________
Email Address: _______________________________________________________________
Signature of Club President: ___________________________________ Date: ______________
Our Assistant District Governor is: _________________________________________________
(Please, write or print legibly!)
Send completed application by email or regular mail by March 6, 2020 to:
Deedra Durocher, District Essay Committee Chair, deedra110@verizon.net
1704 High Street, New Bern, NC 28560 252-631-1509 (home) 252-670-1907 (cell)
Rotary District 7720 4-Way Test Essay Contest 2020
STUDENT ENTRY FORM
Student’s Name: ________________________________________________________________
Student’s Address: ______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
Student’s Email: ________________________________________________________________
Signature of Parent/Guardian: _____________________________________________________
Parent/Guardian Phone or Email: __________________________________________________
School: ____________________________________________________ Grade: ___________
Teacher/Coach (if applicable): ______________________________________________________
Teacher/Coach Phone or Email: ____________________________________________________
School Address: __________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
I would like to submit my essay for the District 7720 4-Way Test Essay Contest, sponsored by the Rotary Club of_____________________________________________________
- I agree to abide by the rules of the Rotary District 7720 4-Way Test Essay Contest as provided by my sponsoring club.
- I certify that this essay is my original work.
- I understand that the First Place winner of my sponsoring club’s Contest will be submitted to the District’s 4-Way Test Essay Contest.
_______________________________________________________________________________
Student Signature Date
