Goal for 4 Way Essay Contest

Our short-term goal to have every Club sponsor a Four-Way Test Essay Contest in the eighth grade of every Public and Private School in their geographical area depends ons club participation. If every eighth grader in our District prepared a Four-Way Test essay, soon every High School student in our District would know about Rotary. Think of the positive impact on Interact Clubs, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, Youth Exchange, Rotaract and on the public image, and the future of Rotary. 
The long-term goal is to develop a deeper relationship with your community’s middle school by introducing the concept of the Four-Way Test in seventh grade. By establishing the Four-Way Test in the classroom as a useful tool for teaching ethics one school year before the Four-Way Test Essay Contest ensures that the student not only can write a thoughtful essay but also experiences the value of integrating ethics into their everyday life. 
 
 
 
 

History

From the earliest days of the organization, Rotarians were 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 was created in 1932 by Rotarian Herbert J. Taylor (who later served as Rotary International president) when he was asked to take charge of a company that was facing bankruptcy. This 24-word code of ethics for employees to follow in their business and professional lives became the guide for sales, production, advertising, and all relations with dealers and customers, and the survival of the company 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.
 

Goal

Our short-term goal to have every Club sponsor a Four-Way Test Essay Contest in the eighth grade of every Public and Private School in their geographical area depends ons club participation. If every eighth grader in our District prepared a Four-Way Test essay, soon every High School student in our District would know about Rotary. Think of the positive impact on Interact Clubs, Rotary Youth Leadership Awards, Youth Exchange, Rotaract and on the public image, and the future of Rotary. 
The long-term goal is to develop a deeper relationship with your community’s middle school by introducing the concept of the Four-Way Test in seventh grade. By establishing the Four-Way Test in the classroom as a useful tool for teaching ethics one school year before the Four-Way Test Essay Contest ensures that the student not only can write a thoughtful essay but also experiences the value of integrating ethics into their everyday life. 
   

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ROTARY CLUB

 1) Agree to sponsor the contest. 2) Identify and contact the appropriate school official (the lead English teacher, lead Social Studies teacher, Counselor, and/or After School program coordinator) for the eighth-grade class(es) and distribute 4 Way Test essay contest forms. 3) Review the contest rules in this document and on the District website: www.rotary5520.org. 4) Appoint a committee to evaluate the best essays submitted by the teachers from each school. 5) Select the Club winner(s) and submit the first-place essay(s) to the District Four-Way Test Essay Chair by March 1, 2020 6) Recognize the Club winners, parents and teacher(s) and award certificates and prizes. 

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ROTARY DISTRICT 

1) Display rules for the contest on the District website. 2) Provide cash awards for the District winners. 3) Appoint a committee to evaluate the winning essays submitted by the Clubs and sest
lect the District winners. 4) Invite the 1     place winner, their parents, and teacher to the District
Conference, March 26,2020 where prizes will be awarded to the top students and the winner will present their winning essay. 5) Display the winning essays on the District website. 

Recommendations 

•The winning essays from all participating District Clubs must be received by the District FourWay Test Committee Chair by March 1, 2020, to allow sufficient time for District judging, notifying the winners, and listing their names in the 2020 District Conference program. 
•Monetary awards District level: First Place - $300, Second Place - $100, Third Place - $100. New this year $100 teacher prize awarded to the teacher of the First Place winner. A $50 travel voucher will be awarded to the student reading their essay at the District Conference. Club-level prizes to be determined by local club. Each club is encouraged to honor local essay winner at club meeting. 
Four-Way Test Essay Contest District Chair: Sarah Jones (Del Norte-ABQ)                           
Cell: (505) 280-0509 E-mail: newmexime@gmail.com  
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Four-Way Test Essay Contest Rules and Guidelines for Club
*Original & personal work of the student. * 500-1000 words, doublespaced.
  • The essay can be handwritten, typed or composed on a computer.
Please stress to the students that legibility assists readers when judging.
*If essay is in language of student origin, written translation must be provided. 
  • Essay must be available to be published.
  • Must be approved by the student’s parents.
  • Critical dates established and followed by all concerned for the conduct of the contest.
  • Initial screening of nominated essays is performed by the local school faculty. The most competitive essays (6-12) are then given to the sponsoring Rotary Club for final evaluation.
  • A committee of the sponsoring Rotary Club evaluates the essays in accordance with an established Evaluation Guide. (copy attached)
  • Finalists, parents, and teachers are recognized at a sponsoring Rotary Club function and awards presented.
  • Press release, with photo(s), submitted to local press.
  • The winning essay from each Club is forwarded to the Four-Way Test Essay Contest District Chair by March 1, 2020.
Four-Way Test Essay Contest District Chair: Sarah Jones (Del Norte-ABQ)                Cell: (505) 280-0509 E-mail: newmexime@gmail.com

2018-2019 Rotary Four-Way Test Essay Contest Student Information

Topic of the essay: What is the Four-Way Test and how does each question help me stop and make the better decisions?
The Four-Way Test: Is it the TRUTH?
Is it FAIR to all concerned?
Will it build GOOD WILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?
Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
Purpose of the essay: A written essay that explains the student’s personal understanding of the “FourWay Test” and how it relates to his/her life experiences and/or society. How does it influence what they say, think, and do?
Sponsors