Judging & Eligibility

Federal Reserve staff will judge the essays according to five criteria:

Comprehension — Does the essay reflect a thorough understanding of the topic?

 

Organization — Does the argument follow a logical progression? Does the evidence support the essay's main points?

 

Conclusions — Do the conclusions follow logically from the argument? Are the conclusions compelling?

 

Creativity — Were diverse resources used in the essay? Does the essay take a creative approach to the topic?

 

Clarity — Is the purpose communicated clearly?

The contest is open to 11th and 12th grade students attending schools in the Fourth Federal Reserve District (Ohio, western Pennsylvania, eastern Kentucky, and the northern panhandle of West Virginia). Visit www.clevelandfed.org/education to find out where your school is in the Fourth District.

Each entrant must be under the supervision and direction of a teacher. Essays must be accompanied by the Student Entry Form and must be received on or before Friday, February 25, 2005.

Employees of the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and their immediate families are not eligible.

Essays that do not conform to the rules and regulations of the contest will not be submitted for judging and will not be returned to the author.