Jungle Talk Article Writing Contest

Jungle Talk articles are featured on the Consumer Jungle homepage and are archived in the Jungle Talk section that contains all Consumer Jungle content. These articles, written by young adults for young adults, deal with money management topics. Consumer Jungle has asked YOU to create these articles!

 One winner will be selected every month! If your article is chosen, you will:

• Win a $50 Amazon.com gift card
  

  • Have your article published and featured on Consumer Jungle
    

    • Be featured on Consumer Jungle  as the Student Editor of the Month
      

      • Receive a certificate of recognition from Consumer Jungle & the Take Charge America Institute

June 1, 2012 at 5:00 PM PT

• Articles submitted by the June 1st deadline are eligible to be selected as the winner for the following months: July, August, September or October.

October 1, 2012 at 5:00 PM PT

• Articles submitted by the October 1st deadline are eligible to be selected as the winner for the following months: November, December, January or February.

February 1, 2013 at 5:00 PM PT

• Articles submitted by the February 1st deadline are eligible to be selected as the winner for the following months: March, April, May, or June.

You may submit an article at any time! The submission form is always available.

Articles are due no later than 5:00 PM PT on the dates listed above. You may submit your article to Consumer Jungle here: http://consumerjungle.org/jungle-talk/contest/submission.

Please note that all documents must be uploaded as a .doc, .docx, or .pdf file.

Your contest entry will have been properly submitted when a confirmation page appears.

In order for your article to be eligible for selection as the top article of the month, you must follow the requirements outlined below. You are encouraged to be creative!

• The article should be approximately 300 - 400 words long.

• The article should be written in a conversational tone of voice (not academic).

• You must include a “catchy” title.

• One unbiased, reputable resource must be provided to cite your work.

• At least one resource must be provided to support your article and engage the readers. For example, provide a link to an online game, online calculator, unique website or an app.

• Include a discussion question that can be used to help your peers think about your topic. Your discussion question may be used on the Consumer Jungle site as a poll question!

• There may only be one author per article.

• The author must be between 12 and 25 years of age.

  Making Money

• Planning Your Career
  
• Finding a Job
  
• On the Job (i.e. getting paid, job success)
  
• Support (i.e. government, friends & family, non-profits)

  Managing Your Money

• Management Tools (i.e. spending plans)
  
• Spending
  
• Credit
  
• Financial Help (i.e. managing debt, emergencies)

  Protecting Your Future

• Making a Plan (i.e. goals, financial planning)
  
• Wealth (i.e. saving, investing)
  
• Insurance

  Connecting to Your World

• Transportation
  
• Housing
  
• Protecting Yourself (i.e. ID theft, online safety)
  
• Communication
  
• Your World (i.e. the environment, the economy)

  A Financially Healthy Life

• Healthy Eating
  
• Living an Active Lifestyle
  
• Financial Well-Being (i.e. what makes you happy, giving, talking about money)

A committee of judges from the Consumer Jungle and Credit-Wise Cats teams (programs of the Take Charge America Institute) will evaluate the submitted articles in a blind review. The committee will select four articles from those received to be named as finalists for the upcoming four months. This process will occur three different times annually.

The four finalist authors whose articles are chosen from a submission deadline will be notified approximately two weeks after the submission deadline. This notification will also include the month their article will be featured. The selected finalists must complete an agreement form that will  include a photo release section and a writing release section. Also, the author is encouraged to submit a short biography with a picture to be posted on Consumer Jungle as a Student Editor. All communication will occur via the email address provided by the author on the article submission form.

If the appropriate documentation (agreement form and biography of the author) is not received by the 20th of the month prior to being featured, we reserve the right to select another winner or not post a winner for that month.

Once selected as a finalist, your article and biography will be featured on Consumer Jungle. After you have been featured, your article will be archived in the Jungle Talk section. Your Student Editor of the Month biography will be archived on the Student Editor page.

You may only win once in 12 months. After 12 months, you are eligible to win again.

If you are not selected as a finalist, you may re-submit your article for the next deadline.

Consumer Jungle and the Take Charge America Institute reserve the right to cancel the Jungle Talk Article Writing Contest for any reason and at any time during the contest and reserve the right to not select a finalist for a particular month if the articles  received are deemed inaccurate or are not appropriate.

Consumer Jungle and the Take Charge America Institute reserves the right to amend these rules and policies at any time and without notice. Any changes will be posted online at http://consumerjungle.org/contests/. Winners of any prize are solely responsible for all applicable federal, state, and local taxes.

Each author agrees that Consumer Jungle and their respective affiliates, employees, or funding agency shall not be responsible or liable for damages or losses of any kind arising out of or resulting from entry in this contest, acceptance or use of a prize or any other matter related to the contest, including, without limitation, claims based on defamation or invasion of privacy.

By entering the Jungle Talk Article Writing Contest, each author agrees to abide by and is bound by all decisions from the Consumer Jungle committee relating to the determination of the top article of the month.

Upon submission of the articles, the top finalist selected for each month agrees that Consumer Jungle and the Take Charge America Institute have the right to use the article in any way deemed necessary.

Contact Consumer Jungle if you have any questions. Call 520.626.4209 or email consumerjungle@cals.arizona.edu.