The primary goal of these contests is to foster the spirit of competition and learning among the youth. Parents and children should focus on the joy of learning and interaction with other participants rather than on the possible outcome of the contest. The Essay Contest of the Panacea Challenge is primarily to encourage the students writing and research skills.

In addition to all the rules stated in the General Info section, the following rules are applicable for the Essay Writing category of the Panacea Challenge.

Panacea Essay Writing Rules

1. There are two levels of essay contests:
   • Junior: K - 3 grades (200-400 word count)
   • Senior: 4 - 8 grades (400-700 word count)
2. Word count limit applies only to the body of the essay and does not apply to title, acknowledgements or bibliography
3. Only one submission from each contestant will be allowed.
4. Essays or a Mathematical Analysis must be completely the work of the student entering the contest. Each entry must focus on ONE of following “PUBLIC HEALTH” themed topics centered around Coronavirus COVID-19 and other similar pandemics:
   • What can we do to stay healthy during this pandemic?
   • What is social distancing? Why is it important?
   • How does the virus spread? What symptoms do infected individuals experience?
   • How is the public responding to this pandemic?
   • Mathematical analysis is of how quickly this virus is spreading
   • Story about a public concern of your choice) i.e., infectious diseases, food safety, homelessness, safe drinking water, vaccines, etc.)
5. Please submit the collaborative work under the older contestant’s name and grade level. Due credit will be given to all the team members.
6. Please submit all the work in MS Word or PDF formats
   • Times New Roman, 12pt, double-spaced
7. In order to be considered all essay submissions must be submitted by deadline mention in the General Info section.
8. No editing is allowed once the essay is submitted. Please adhere to the topic guidelines.
9. If you have multiple files to submit, please Zip them together and submit one file.
10. North South Foundation shall reserve the right to publish the art work, name, school and photo of any participant in any manner it deems fit.
11. Judges may request an online meeting with the contestant for further clarification on Submission.

Judging

12. Guidelines for judging criteria:
• Spelling, Grammar, and Sentence Structure: No misspellings or grammatical errors. Well-constructed sentences.
• Vocabulary: Skillful word choice.
• Organization: Well-sequenced essay with smooth transitions. (If math analysis, looks at organization of mathematical approaches.)
• Scope: Evidence of breadth and depth of chosen topic. Includes proper citations.
• Quality of Presentation: Effectively presents and analyzes information.
• Delivery and Voice: Reflects commitment to topic and engages the reader.
• Out of the Box Thinking/ Novelty of Ideas: Displays creative thinking and displays a grasp of the bigger picture relating to topic.
• Theme and Word Count: Adheres to theme and word count requirements.
13. Judges decision wlll be final

Winners and Ranks:

14. Winners will be selected based on:
    • Creativity
    • Clarity
    • Evidence Based Research
    • Depth of Analysis
    Each submission will be reviewed and scored by three independent judges. Based on the average scores of the three judges, winners will be determined. The 1st place winner shall be ahead by at least (.01) to be declared as the champion. In announcing the ranks 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, the following rules apply:
    • Announce Ranks 1, 2 and 3, if and only if there are at least 10 contestants;
    • Announce Ranks 1 and 2 ONLY, if there are 8 or 9 contestants;
    • Announce Rank 1 ONLY, if there are 5-7 contestants;
    • Ranks will not be announced if there are less than 5 contestants.

Tiebreaker Rules:

15. Rank tied submissions based on unique organization of content and creative interpretation of the theme (aka originality of work).
16. If warranted, consideration will be given to the contestant’s defense of essay/paper during online meeting with judges.
17. In case of a tie, the participant of lower (or lowest) grade will be the winner.
18. Judges decision will be final
19. Essays may be published at any subsequent finals or the Bee Book or Annual Review.