Each local Court should sponsor the National Education Contest. The choice of the categories are: Art, Essay, Poetry, Poster, Computer Art, Music, and Photography. The theme: "JESUS, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD" or "PEOPLE WHO LIGHT UP MY WORLD."

Adult Catholic Daughters may participate in the Poetry, Art, Computer Art, and Music divisions. Students may be Catholic or non-Catholic. Contestants may enter a category only once, but may submit entries in multiple categories. Contestants must be sponsored by a local Catholic Daughter Court. All contest material becomes the property of the National Court with the right to display and/or publish any or all material. Plagiarism is grounds for disqualification from the contest.

All entries, all categories are to reflect the chosen theme. All rules apply to local, state and national entries. Entries are to be the original imagination of the participant. The participant needs to come up with the original idea for the entry. No entries should be folded or rolled. Neatness is a key factor in judging.

The local Court's name and number, the local Court Education Chairperson's name and address, should be on both the individual contest information sheet and on the "Participant's Cover Sheet" before contest information is distributed. It is the duty of the Chairperson to check EACH ENTRY BEFORE submitting them for judging.

All local Courts send their first place winners to State Education Chairman, Margaret T. Giordano in Lancaster, PA using the "State Court Education Contest Cover Sheet." Only one first place winner per division, per category.

The local Court determines the amount of awards to be presented to the first three winning entries in each division, each category.

DEADLINES:
Local Court — All entries postmarked no later than February 15, 2008.
State Court — All entries postmarked no later than March 15, 2008.

Awards and Judging
Local Courts: Judges should be selected for their expertise in the various categories of the contest, and should NOT be a Catholic Daughter. Local Courts set and pay the judges honoraria and the winning entry awards. Only the FIRST PLACE winning entry in each division (NOT ONE PER THEME) at the local Court level is forwarded to the State Chairman of Education.

State Courts: The State Court selects NON-Catholic Daughters, and pays the honoraria and the winning entry awards. ONLY the FIRST PLACE winning entry in each division is forwarded to the National Chairman of Education.

National Level: Awards on the National level will be announced at the July, 2008 National Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Awards are: 1^st Place - $100; 2^nd Place - $50; 3^rd Place - $25.

Newsletters are judged on their content, not whether they are printed in black-and-white or color, or how many pages it contains. Importance is placed on the coverage of your local, state and national CDA news, and the interests of your court and community.

Newsletters will be judged on the following categories:

Layout (appearance, neatness, use of white space), Headlines (interest, appeal), Coverage of local, State and National news and projects, Journalistic Style (readability, spelling, objectivity), and Special Features (art, humor, etc.). Newsletters must bear the name and address of the Regent, Editor, or both. This information must appear either on the template at the top of the newsletter, in a designated editor block, or at the end of the newsletter.

After December 31, 2007 ALL NEWSLETTERS must include the Mission Statement and the Catholic Daughters of the Americas registered logo.

To be eligible for National competition, a local Court's newsletter must be the first place winner in its division and category in the State contest. Each entry must be accompanied by three (3) copies of each of the last three issues of the winning newsletter, along with a signed statement sent by the State Regent confirming that the entry won first place in the State contest. State Courts must submit their entries POSTMARKED on or before MAY 1, 2008.

Each local Court entry must consist of three (3) copies of each of the last three issues and include three cover sheets – one cover sheet attached to each set of newsletters. The following guidelines must be strictly adhered to. Failure to do so will result in automatic disqualification.

1. Name, number, and contact information of the Regent, Court name, number and location of the Court.
2. Number of members at the present time.
3. Must include the category and division in which it is to be entered.
4. Attach the cover sheet, signed by the Court Regent, to each set of newsletters stating these are the identical newsletters sent to the entire membership. (Cover sheet included in the packet

Local Courts are to submit their entries to the State Chairman, Patricia M. Bleam in Easton, PA.

Awarded to persons who have completed UNDERGRADUATE STUDIES and desire assistance for tuition to continue studies on the graduate level. The recipients should be enrolled in a graduate program at a college or university.

1. The Catholic Daughters application form must be completed and returned to the National Scholarship Chairman, and must be accompanied by four (4) required enclosures:
   1. An official transcript of undergraduate work from the college or university. Some colleges or universities will only send an official transcript directly to the National Scholarship Chairman. Make your request long before the MAY 1st DEADLINE POSTMARK.
   2. Letter of academic reference from one college or university.
   3. List reasons for applying for the CDA scholarship.
   4. Your autobiography.
2. Applicants must be a citizen of the United States.
3. Only Catholic Daughters application blanks dated 2008 can be used. Application MUST BE signed by the applicant.
4. All Catholic Daughter application forms and required attachments are sent to the National Scholarship Chairman POSTMARKED BY MAY 1, 2008.

Note: Prior to making the scholarship award, the recipient selected will be required to submit a letter from the college or university stating he/she is enrolled as a graduate student.

MAIL COMPLETED APPLICATION BLANK AND ALL ATTACHMENTS TO:

Mrs. Letty Calvetti
National Scholarship Chairman
854 Country Lane
Indiana, PA 15701

One $500 scholarship for eighth grade student entering ninth grade in the Fall, 2008 in a Catholic high school.

1. An essay of approximately 250-300 words typed and double-spaced entitled, "Who Has Influenced Me the Most in My Catholic Faith?".

   Submit with a cover sheet listing the applicant's name, address, telephone number, school attended, name of the school the applicant will attend in the Fall, 2008.

2. Letters of recommendation from the pastor or religious, a school or religious teacher, and a third letter from a non-relative who can attest to the candidate's character must accompany the essay.

Deadline: Entries must be POSTMARKED BY MAY 1, 2008, and mailed to:

Mrs. Theresa Kocer
National Youth Chairman
5301 West 56th Street, #20
Sioux Falls, SD 57106

One $500 scholarship for a JUNIOR CATHOLIC DAUGHTER OF THE AMERICAS MEMBER entering college in the Fall, 2008.

1. The applicant must have been a member of the JCDA for at least two years immediately preceding the application.

2. An essay of approximately 500 words typed and double-spaced entitled, "What Positive Characteristics Can You Attribute to Being a Member of the JCDA?" Submit with a cover sheet listing the applicant's name, address, telephone number, current school, and the name of the school the applicant will attend in the Fall, 2008.

3. Letters of recommendation from the JCDA Chaplain, the JCDA Chairperson, and a third letter from a non-relative who can attest to the candidate's character must accompany the essay.

Deadline: Entries must be postmarked BY MAY 1, 2008 and mailed to:

Mrs. Theresa Kocer
National Youth Chairman
5301 West 56th Street, #20
Sioux Falls, SD 57106