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Eligibility Updated again — Parallax Forums

Eligibility Updated again

BumpBump Posts: 592
edited 2010-12-06 14:58 in Announcements
Due to a popular demand, we've increased the age limit to 24.

"Eligibility: Individual students in a middle school (junior high school), in a high-school in grades 7 through 12, or undergraduate program, and between the ages of 12 years and 24 years can participate. We encourage parents and teachers to participate, too, but as informal advisors rather than as project directors or overseers."

Comments

  • bpiltinbpiltin Posts: 5
    edited 2010-11-11 12:30
    Hmmm. I'm kind of dissapointed about this change because I'm a high school teacher and I've already modified my students' projects to fit into the requirements for this contest, they usually have to make a game oriented around the BASIC stamp and I made them start over again to conform to this and to be honest I wouldn't have done that if I knew the contest is open to college age (and above!) students and/or professionals. I don't feel that my high school aged students will be able to compete. Please let me know if the contest will remain this way because I'd rather not participate if that's the case... Seems like it takes away from promoting the use of the BASIC stamp on a secondary education level...
  • BumpBump Posts: 592
    edited 2010-11-11 15:13
    The ages of the student will be taken into account when the projects are being judged; they will do their best to assure that during the judging process everyone is on an even playing field.

    Please don't be discouraged by the updated eligibility.
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,392
    edited 2010-11-11 15:40
    bpiltin wrote: »
    Hmmm. I'm kind of dissapointed about this change because I'm a high school teacher and I've already modified my students' projects to fit into the requirements for this contest, they usually have to make a game oriented around the BASIC stamp and I made them start over again to conform to this and to be honest I wouldn't have done that if I knew the contest is open to college age (and above!) students and/or professionals. I don't feel that my high school aged students will be able to compete. Please let me know if the contest will remain this way because I'd rather not participate if that's the case... Seems like it takes away from promoting the use of the BASIC stamp on a secondary education level...

    bpiltin, we've had a whopping three entrants so far along with interest from a few older students. From my perspective I'd certainly get your students involved - not only for the reasons cited by Bump above (and I'll make sure the criteria reflect his statement) - but because these contests often have few entrants. There's a lot of money available for an LED contest and you may be surprised at some of the winning projects when you see them. You might even want to put your students in groups of 2-3 (or 4) if this improves the likelihood of winning projects.
  • bpiltinbpiltin Posts: 5
    edited 2010-11-16 08:44
    I appreciate your feedback. I read your messages to my students and they seem a bit more enthused, so there's a good chance we get some entrants together. I do think they've got some good ideas... they're just very stressed out with college applications and they've got a huge project for graduation in addition to this... thanks either way.
  • Ken GraceyKen Gracey Posts: 7,392
    edited 2010-11-16 10:35
    bpiltin wrote: »
    I appreciate your feedback. I read your messages to my students and they seem a bit more enthused, so there's a good chance we get some entrants together. I do think they've got some good ideas... they're just very stressed out with college applications and they've got a huge project for graduation in addition to this... thanks either way.

    Even better - since universities are impacted by a larger number of students being able to show the "winning contest entry" would certainly help a college application stand out.
  • JonTitusJonTitus Posts: 193
    edited 2010-12-06 14:58
    As a judge, I would take age and grade level into account. Don't get discouraged by the greater age span--just jump in and have fun.
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