1. Each entry must be a video documentary that addresses this year’s StudentCam topic: A message to the new President. What is the most urgent issue to address after taking office, and why?

The entry must be the original work of the student(s), hereafter referred to as "entrant(s)."

2. This competition is open to entrants currently enrolled in middle or high school in any state in the United States, the District of Columbia, U.S. territories, and any international entrants. Students may be enrolled in public or private schools, or be home-schooled.

Students in grades 6-8 will be considered "middle school" entrants; grades 9-12 will be considered "high school" entrants.

3. Neither C-SPAN's employees, their immediate families, nor its officers or directors are eligible to participate in the contest.

4. The documentary must be between 5 and 8 minutes in length.

5. C-SPAN programming must be used to enhance the video documentary. The entry must include more than one point of view.

6. Limited use of copyrighted material will be permitted in the entry so long as it is a lawful or so-called "fair" use, and so long as such use does not overwhelm the contribution of the student(s).

7. Entrants must credit all sources used to create the video documentary.

8. Individuals or teams of students may create and submit entries. Teams are limited to 3 students.

9. Only one entry per person, whether individual or group participation.

10. School staff and faculty may provide guidance and critiques but may not participate in conceiving and producing the video. Students are not required to have a teacher advisor to participate.

11. Entries must be submitted online but a backup DVD copy must also be made. In the unlikely event that we need you to mail in your documentary, you would be required to send in the backup DVD copy. You may upload your video and complete the entry form beginning in November, 2008.

12. Entries must be received by 5pm on Inauguration Day, January 20, 2009.

13. All entries, the receipt of which will not be acknowledged, become the property of National Cable Satellite Corporation, d/b/a C-SPAN and will not be returned. Entrants, without any compensation from C-SPAN, grant permission to C-SPAN to use their names, likenesses and entries for promotional purposes related to C-SPAN and its activities. By submitting an entry, entrants (i) represent that their entries constitute original works of creativity that do not violate the property rights of any other person, and (ii) grant C-SPAN the right to exhibit, distribute, televise and otherwise use the entries in various media.

14. Prize recipients will be determined by judges selected by C-SPAN and the judges' decisions will be final. If a team's entry wins, C-SPAN will divide the prize money equally among the team members. Prize recipients will be asked to provide a social security number and will be responsible for any taxes associated with the prizes. C-SPAN reserves the right not to award all prizes in all categories; and C-SPAN reserves the right to not air a winning video.

15. Prize recipients will be announced on C-SPAN on a date TBA. Winners will be notified by C-SPAN prior to that announcement.

Join us and other students participating in this year's StudentCam competition on Facebook.