Each local Court should sponsor the National Education Contest. The choice of the categories are: Art, Essay, Poetry, Computer Art, Music, and Photography. The theme: "The Joys of God Surround Us" OR "The Joys Life Brings Through Others."

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 should send their first place winners to State Education Chairman, Margaret T. Giordano, 1132 Jamaica Road, Lancaster, PA 17602 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.

Essay:	Neatly written or typed, not to exceed 500 words.
Poetry:	Any style of poetry, neatly written or typed, not to exceed eight (8) lines.
Art:	Size: 12x18" No Lettering (your art carries the message) How theme is carried out in Art will be part of the judging. Medium: Crayon, markers, ink, paints (water color, acrylic, oil), charcoal, pencil (black or colored), pastels (chalk).
Computer Art:	Size: 8 ½ x 11" No lettering Art must be artist's own creation and should fill the majority of the page. NO CLIP ART OR IMAGES IMPORTED from web sites.
Music:	Lyrics and notes written on a music score (melody, harmony, and accompaniment, all of which must be notated accurately), must be contestant's own creation. A tape recording or CD (no MP3, MIDI, or other electronic formats allowed) of the performance must accompany the entry. (If you are using a tape format, please make sure to punch out the tabs on the tape to prevent accidental erasure). While the composition must be contestant's own creation, the performance of the composition does not need to be the composer.
Photography:	Size 8x10" picture depicting the theme. Picture must have been taken by contestant. May not be a computer downloaded image or a picture of a picture. Can be color or black and white. No Lettering is allowed. Cannot be a collage.

DEADLINES:
Local Court — All entries postmarked no later than February 15, 2010.
State Court — All entries postmarked no later than March 15, 2010.

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. Do not send a first place winner in each theme as both will have to be disqualified.

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.

General Rules: Entries will not be returned. All contest material becomes the property of the National Court with the right to display/and or publish any or all material. Decisions of the judges will be final. Judges reserve the right to make no award in a Division or Category. Commercial entries will be disqualified. Each entry MUST be accompanied by a 2010 Entry Form properly signed and completed. Names must be legible. Forms are to be glued or taped to the back of the entry. Plagiarism is grounds for disqualification from the contest.

National Level: Awards are: 1^st Place - $100; 2^nd Place - $50; 3^rd Place - $25.

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, 2010.

Each local Court entry must consist of three (3) copies of each of the last three issues and include a cover sheet stating the name, number, and location of the Court, the name of the Regent, and the number of members in the Court; the cover letter must also include the category and division in which it is to be entered. A signed statement from the Court Regent stating this is the identical newsletter sent to the entire membership, color, print, etc. must accompany the entry. Failure to do so will result in automatic disqualification.

Local Courts are to submit their entries BY MARCH 15, 2010 to the State Chairman Patricia M. Bleam, 2725 Oregon Street, Easton, PA 18045.

Newsletters will be judged on the following categories:

Layout (appearance, neatness, use of white space, and contained all required elements), 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. Court name, number and location of the court must appear at the top of the newsletter. All newsletters are required to include the Mission Statement and the Catholic Daughters of the Americas registered logo.

Click here to obtain a copy of the application.

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 1^st DEADLINE POSTMARK.
   2. Letter of academic reference from one college or university, signed by the writer of the letter.
   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 2010 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, 2010.
5. No e-mailed applications, letters of academic reference or transcripts will be accepted. All must contain valid signatures and/or official seals and bear a postmark.

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:

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

One $500 scholarship for eighth grade student entering ninth grade in the Fall, 2010 in a Catholic high school.

1. You must be Catholic, and attending a Catholic (not home setting) high school in the Fall. You can be a female or male.

2. An essay of approximately 250-300 words typed and double-spaced entitled, "What Characteristics of My Catholic Faith Do I Use to Help Me be a Role Model for Others?".

   Submit with a cover sheet listing the applicant's name, address, telephone number, and the name of the school the applicant will attend in the Fall, 2010.

3. Three 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, 2010, and mailed to:

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

There are two separate scholarship applications, one for students entering Catholic High Schools, and one for students entering Public/Private High Schools.

One $1,000 scholarship for a JUNIOR CATHOLIC DAUGHTER OF THE AMERICAS MEMBER entering college in the Fall, 2010.

1. The applicant must have been a member of the JCDA for at least two years immediately preceding the application. You do not need to have a relative who is a CDA member. You must be Catholic.

2. An essay of approximately 500 words typed and double-spaced entitled, "How Will MY Catholic Faith Along with My Years of Being a Member of JCDA Enhance My Future?"

   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, 2010.

3. Letters of recommendation from the JCDA Chaplain, Pastor or Religious, a school or religious teacher, 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, 2010 and mailed to:

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

Click here to obtain a copy of the application.