* See bottom of the page for prize equivalents. Click on picture to get a printable and better image.

CONTEST RULES

If you are a minor, you must obtain the prior permission of your parent and/or legal guardian and your parent and/or legal guardian must also agree to these Rules on their and your own behalf before you can enter this Contest.

The Contest is open to current students of elementary and secondary schools (K–12 grades, including home schools of these grades), with the participating student(s) residing in, and the school located in, the state of Illinois. Identification must be produced upon request.

Employees of the Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA), its Contest sponsors, program implementers, vendors, and their respective affiliates and associates and such employees' immediate family members and persons with whom such employees are domiciled are excluded from this Contest.

By claiming the prize, the winner authorizes the use, without additional compensation of his or her name and/or likeness and/or voice/photograph and municipality of residence for promotional purposes in any manner and in any medium (including without limitation, radio broadcasts, newspapers and other publications and in television or film releases, slides, videotape, distribution over the internet and picture data storage) which MEEA may deem appropriate.

In accepting the prize, the winner, acknowledges that MEEA may not be held liable for any loss, damages or injury associated with accepting or using this prize(s). MEEA is not responsible for the policies, actions, or inactions of others, including your School, that might prevent you from entering, participating, and/or claiming a prize in this Contest. This Contest is governed by the laws of the State of Illinois, United States. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.

By participating in this Contest, you agree to be bound by the terms of these Official Rules and by MEEA’s decisions, which are final and binding on all matters pertaining to this Contest. Return of any prize/prize notification may result in disqualification and selection of an alternate winner. Any potential winner who cannot be contacted within fifteen (15) days of attempted first notification will forfeit his or her prize.

MEEA retains the rights, in its absolute and sole discretion, to make substitutions of equivalent kind or approximate value in the event of the unavailability of any prize or component of the prize for any reason whatsoever. MEEA reserves the right to alter any Rules of any Contest at anytime. MEEA reserves the right to withdraw or terminate this Contest at any time without prior notice.

The Contest ends on 12PM on April 16, 2010. All entries are subject to the terms of use of Youtube.com. The winning design will be selected by judges appointed for the purpose and by MEEA. Their decision will be final. No further correspondence shall be entered into. No prize substitutions will be available.

Contest prizes are not redeemable in cash and must be accepted as awarded. All entries will be judged based on the following judging criteria: 1) artistic merit, 2) creativity, 3) theme communication, 4) appropriateness of the supporting statement, and 5) whether the submissions adhered to these Rules. Decisions of the judges are final and binding. In the event there are not enough eligible entries, not all prizes will be awarded. If any winner is not able for whatever reason to accept their prize, then MEEA reserves the right to award the prize to another Entrant. Entrants certify that their entry is original and that they are the sole and exclusive owner and rights holder of the submitted entry (or if they are not sole and exclusive owner and rights holder of the submitted entry, that they have obtained the necessary permission to include the entry in the Contest) and that they have the right to submit the entry in the Contest.

Each entrant agrees not to participate in the Contest in any manner that might (1) infringe any third-party proprietary, intellectual property, industrial property, personal rights or other rights, including without limitation, copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret or confidentiality obligation; or (2) otherwise violate applicable law in any countries in the world.

MEEA is not responsible for electronic transmission errors resulting in omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission. MEEA is not responsible for theft or destruction or unauthorized access to or alterations of Contest materials, or for technical, network, telephone equipment, electronic, computer, hardware or software malfunctions or limitations of any kind. MEEA is not responsible for inaccurate transmissions of or failure to display Contest materials on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website or any combination thereof. If for any reason the Internet portion of the 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 this Contest, MEEA reserves the right at its sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest.

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, YOU INDEMNIFY AND AGREE TO KEEP INDEMNIFIED MEEA AT ALL TIMES FROM AND AGAINST ANY LIABILITY, CLAIMS, DEMANDS, LOSSES, DAMAGES, COSTS AND EXPENSES RESULTING FROM ANY ACT, DEFAULT OR OMISSION BY YOU AND/OR A BREACH OF ANY WARRANTY BY YOU SET FORTH HEREIN. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, YOU INDEMNIFY AND AGREE TO KEEP INDEMNIFIED MEEA AT ALL TIMES FROM AND AGAINST ANY LIABILITY, ACTIONS, CLAIMS, DEMANDS, LOSSES, DAMAGES, COSTS AND EXPENSES FOR OR IN RESPECT OF WHICH MEEA WILL OR MAY BECOME LIABLE BY REASON OF OR RELATED OR INCIDENTAL TO ANY ACT, DEFAULT OR OMISSION BY YOU UNDER THESE RULES INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION RESULTING FROM OR IN RELATION TO ANY BREACH, NON-OBSERVANCE, ACT OR OMISSION WHETHER NEGLIGENT OR OTHERWISE, PURSUANT TO THESE RULES BY YOU. TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW, YOU AGREE TO HOLD MEEA, ITS RESPECTIVE DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES AND ASSIGNS HARMLESS FOR ANY INJURY OR DAMAGE CAUSED OR CLAIMED TO BE CAUSED BY PARTICIPATION IN THE CONTEST AND/OR USE OR ACCEPTANCE OF ANY PRIZE WON.

*In the event of a group submission winning a top prize, Apple gift cards will be substituted in the amount of $2,000 for First Place, $500 for Second Place, and $200 for Third Place. By submitting a Contest entry, Contest participants acknowledge their acceptance and understanding of the complete Contest Rules.