The Happy House 
GOOD CHOICE/GOOD LIFE AWARD 
2009

ELIGIBILITY AND RULES

ELIGIBILITY:

• Entrants must be 13-18 years old at the time the application is submitted.
• Entrants must live in the Devonshire District (Northridge, Canoga Park, Chatsworth, Reseda)
• Entrants must either 1) attend the after-school program sponsored by the Police Activities League Supporter; 2) be a part of the Jeopardy Program sponsored by PALS or 3) be a member of the Explorers of PALS.
• Family members of the PALS Board, Happy House staff and/or judges are not eligible for this contest.
• Entrants must complete The Good Choices Practical Character-Building program offered through the PALS after-school youth center.

RULES:

• Complete the Good Choices Practical Character-Building program as delivered by Carol Loweree, the Director of Training at the PALS youth center or any other qualified supervisor of the program.
• Demonstrate your understanding of the program by applying one of the 21 tools as stated in the book (“The Way to Happiness: 21 Tools for Making Good Choices”) in your home, school or community.  This could be as simple as helping your mom set the table and wash the dishes every single day (#5 Love And Help Your Parents) to removing graffiti from a wall at the mall (#12  Keep Yourself and the Area Around You Clean and Neat). 
• As an option, it is totally fine to do this as a group activity.  Have your friends join you and create an activity together.  Follow the rest of the rules and have a ball!  (Obviously if your project is selected as a winner, you would all share the “booty”!)
• Document your “Good Choice” for your life by taking a photo of what you are doing or have done.  The photo needs to show you in action, doing what you are saying you do.
• Complete the application and submit your entry no later than ­­­­­Sept. 30, 2009.
• Submit only one entry per person.
• By submitting your entry to the Good Choices/Good Life Award, you promise the work you did was your own decision and activity.  In other words, this was YOUR idea and not your parent’s or your best friend’s idea.
• Agree to allow your name and personal photos to be published in The Nancy Newsletter and online at www.nancycartwright.com, www.happyhouse.com and any other news-related/public information media.
• Agree to attend the second Annual Children’s Day celebration on Nov. 21, 2009 IF YOU WIN.

CHARACTER-BUILDING CHALLENGE

“I find that I am happiest when I can actually not only help myself, but help others around me—my family, my friends and even people who I don’t even know.”  --Nancy Cartwright, Founder of Happy House

STEP 1:  DEVELOP A PLAN

After doing the “Good Choices Practical Character Building” program, review all the 21 Tools.  Which one really stands out to you the most?

Review “How You Will Be Judged”.  Keep this in mind when you decide what you want to do.

STEP 2:  DECIDE WHAT YOU WANT TO DO

The purpose of this contest is to award a young person who shows that he or she has taken responsibility for himself, family and friends in order to make the world a better place. 

DECIDE which one of the 21 Tools you want to create a project with.

Some ideas might include passing out information at school as to why it is not a good idea to take drugs.  You could get signatures from other kids stating that they won’t ever take harmful drugs.  (“Be Drug Free.”)

You could help your brother or sister with his/her homework or taking a bath every night without being told to. That would really help your mom and dad and especially help your family.  (“Help Other Children.”)

You could get a bunch of friends together and clean up a local park.  Be sure to take photographs while you are doing it.  “Before” and “After” would really help.  (“Keep Yourself and the Area Around You Clean and Neat.”)

Put on a show of you singing or dancing to show off your talent.  (“Be Able To Do Things Well.”)

These are just a few ideas.  Come up with your own.  It’s fun!

STEP 3:  SUBMIT YOUR ENTRY

Your entry must be submitted between Aug. 1 and Sept. 30, 2009.  Fill out the form and turn it in to Carol Loweree or Officer Sandoval at the PALS youth center.  Be sure to include any photographs you took of your project.

JUDGING

Our panel of judges will use the following guidelines to determine the winner:

Creativity—the use of imagination used to come up with idea 1-30 pts.    
Organization—how easy it is to understand the project          1-30 pts.
Impact—how the use of this tool changes a person or area for the better   1-40 pts.

AWARDS

The awards will be presented at the annual Children’s Day Event held Saturday, Nov. 21, 2009 at a place to be determined. 

First prize--$1,000
2nd prize--$500
3rd prize-- $250
4th prize-- $100
5th prize-- $50

The award winners will be called on stage and photographs will be taken with Happy House founder Nancy Cartwright when they receive their cash award. 

Families and friends are all welcome in celebrating this special occasion about and for children.