Houston Teens Care About Clean Air student video contest Rules and Guidelines

The following are the legally binding Rules and Guidelines (the “Rules”) which shall constitute the full agreement between the Environmental Defense Fund, Inc. (the "Sponsor"), the participant (the “Participant”), and participating high school (the "Organizer"), in connection with the Sponsor's in-kind product/service donation (the “Donation”) to Houston Teens Care About Clean Air Video Contest (the "Contest").

  1. All participants must complete the required video contest entry form and any permission slips required by their high school.

  2. Videos must be original and unpublished works that have never been previously submitted to another contest or film festival.

  3. The Participant and Sponsor, for each of himself or herself, each of his or her personal representatives, heirs, executives, next of kin, insurers, successors, and assigns, hereby waives, releases, discharges, and agrees to hold harmless the Environmental Defense Fund, Inc. (“EDF”) and its Sponsor and Sponsor’s respective officers, directors, trustees, employees, agents, affiliates, representatives, insurers and third-party providers for any and all claims for damages or losses, against EDF (including reasonable attorney’s fees), arising from the Contest against Sponsor. By accepting the Donation, Participants agree to hold Sponsor and all Sponsor employees harmless against any and all claims and liability arising out or from the use/redemption of such Donation.

  4. Plagiarism of any kind will result in disqualification. A list of sources, properly cited, must be provided upon request.

  5. Participants must obtain appropriate copyright authorization for all photos, graphics, clips, and music. Written permission must be obtained and provided upon request for all copyrighted materials.

  6. Content must not contain illegal activity, must not be offensive, or be otherwise inappropriate as determined by EDF in its sole determination. (This includes illegal substances, sexual content, foul language, cultural or racially offensive content, etc.)

  7. The only compensation for submitting a video is the opportunity to be awarded a prize for the Donation if the entry wins. EDF will pay filmmakers no additional compensation nor be liable to the filmmaker under any circumstances.

  8. No obligation or liability is assumed by EDF in connection with the contest.

  9. All tangible works of authorship created or developed by participants that are submitted pursuant to the contest, including all video submissions (collectively, the “Work Product”), shall belong to and be the sole and exclusive property of EDF, free of any claim by any participant or any other person. Participant and, to the extent relevant, Organizer, hereby assigns to EDF all such Work Product and grants EDF all rights to use any other results of the Work Product in the ordinary course of its business. Participant and Organizer consent to EDF’s publication and use of participant video/digital media submission pursuant to the contest. Winners and their parents or guardians agree to use the winners’ names and likenesses to promote the “Houston Teens Care About Clean Air” contest and future video contests.

  10. By accepting the prizes, winners agree to hold EDF and all EDF employees harmless against any and all claims and liability arising out of the use of such prizes. The winner assumes all liability for any injury or damage caused by participation in the contest or use/redemption of any prize.

  11. Sponsor grants to Organizer a limited and non-exclusive license to use Sponsor trademarks and logos solely in connection with the Contest, provided that Organizer must obtain Sponsor’s prior written approval before such dissemination or publication. Sponsor trademarks and logos are and shall remain the property of the Sponsor.

  12. Should any portion of these Rules be found to be invalid or unenforceable, it shall not affect the remainder of these Rules.

  13. These Rules contain the sole and entire agreement and understanding of the parties with respect to the subject matter hereof, superseding all prior communications whether written or oral.

  14. These Rules shall be construed and guided in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. Each of the parties hereto irrevocably submits to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the City of New York, the borough of Manhattan for the adjudication of any dispute hereunder. To the extent that any Organizer is restricted by law to submitting to the courts of a foreign jurisdiction, then, upon proper submission of demonstrating such requirement, to the reasonable satisfaction of Sponsor, the parties agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the state and federal courts sitting in the State in which they are mandated to appear.

  15. Entries may be submitted beginning on November 30,2023. The deadline for submissions is 11:59pm January 27, 2024. Winners will be announced at a virtual Awards Ceremony event, date TBA.