Guidelines

Letters to Leaders is an opportunity for school-aged children in Texas to make their voices heard. For the 2009-2010 art and letter-writing contest, the following criteria will be used to determine the winners:

• To participate in the artwork contest, participants should be children in Texas in grades K, 1, 2, or 3 or home-school equivalent.

• To participate in the letter-writing contest, participants should be children in Texas in grades 4 or up, or home-school equivalent.

• All submissions must be postmarked no later than Feb. 1, 2010.

• Submissions should address the topic: "What Texas leaders can do to make Texas even better.”
  
  
• Art submissions should be on white paper and should use a "landscape" orientation (i.e., wide not tall). Because winning submissions will be reproduced in print, painting is the preferred medium; colored markers also will work. We prefer to receive submissions unfolded.

• Letters should include at least one question for candidates for governor. Also, because letters will be distributed to candidates for the governor's office in 2010, no name should be in the salutation (i.e., it should read "Dear Candidates for Governor” or something similar).

• Submissions should include the child's name and an address to which the candidate or elected official can respond if desired (e.g., the school classroom address). Additionally, one contact phone number or email address (e.g., for the teacher or program leader) must be included for each set of submissions. The contact information will be used only for the purposes of informing participants of receipt of their submissions and notifying winners.

• Submissions must include original content, and should be respectful in nature. Winning submissions will be polite, clear, and from the heart. Letters should refrain from disrespectful language and the use of brand names or names of particular people (other than the child).

• Submissions become the property of Texans Care for Children. We reserve the right to print and display the artwork and letters of contest winners with their parents or guardians' permission.

• Texans Care for Children is not responsible for lost, late, damaged, or incomplete submissions.