Eckrich® 2023 Teacher of the Year National Contest
Official Rules
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING.
1. Eligibility: Nominations for the Eckrich® 2023 Teacher of the Year National Contest (the “Contest”) are limited to the following eligible people:
- Residents of the forty-eight contiguous U.S. states (excluding Alaska and Hawaii).
- Individuals who are at least 18 years of age and the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence at the time of entry.
- Employed full-time (or considered at least 0.75 FTE) by a public school, public charter school or the Office of Head Start.
- A front-line educator or other faculty member whose main responsibility is to directly teach or counsel students:
- Front-line educators and other faculty can include (but aren't limited to): classroom teachers, subject-area teachers, librarians, therapists, counselors, school nurses, etc.
- In charge of creating your own lesson plans (or equivalent in a non-classroom role), and not primarily assisting another lead teacher.
Individuals nominating an eligible educator must be at least 13 years of age or older at the time of the nomination entry. Employees of Smithfield Packaged Meats Sales Corp., Signature Sports Group, Inc., 22 Squared, Red Comma Media, Inc., EDGE Marketing, Extra Yard for Teachers, the College Football Playoff Foundation Inc., and their parent, subsidiary and affiliate companies as well as the immediate family (spouse, parents, siblings, and children) and household members of each such employee are not eligible.
The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited. Participation constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to these Official Rules and Sponsor’s decisions, which are final and binding in all matters related to the Contest. Winning a prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements set forth herein.
2. Sponsor: Smithfield Packaged Meats Sales Corp., 111 Commerce St., Smithfield, VA 23430.
3. Timing: The Contest begins on August 7, 2023 at 12:00:00 a.m. Eastern Time ("ET"), ends on November 18, 2023 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET (the "Contest Period"):
4. How to Enter: During the Contest Period, visit www.eckrich.com (“Website”) and follow the links and instructions to complete and submit the entry form to nominate a potential winner. All required information on the entry form must be provided for the nominee to be eligible for entry into the Contest. The nominee will receive one (1) entry to the Conest. All materials submitted with an entry, such as, without limitation, videos, photos, nomination stories and entry information, shall be the property of Sponsor and may be used by Sponsor and its promotional agency, without compensation, notice, or approval by the entrant or nominee, for promotional purposes in press releases, social media and websites and other publicity for the Contest and/or Sponsor.
Limit: Each entrant, defined as the individual submitting the nominating entry, may nominate only one eligible person during the Contest Period. Multiple entrants are not permitted to share the same email address. Any attempt by any entrant to obtain more than the stated number of entries by using multiple/different email addresses, identities, registrations and logins, or any other methods will void that entrant's entries and that entrant may be disqualified. Use of any automated system to participate is prohibited and will result in disqualification. In the event of a dispute as to any entry, the authorized account holder of the email address used to submit the nomination entry will be deemed to be the nominating entrant. The “authorized account holder” is the natural person assigned an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted address. Each entrant may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder (to validate legitimacy of nominee.)
5. Contest Judging: On or about December 6, 2023, a panel of three (3) judges from Sponsor and/or Sponsor’s promotional agency will review and evaluate all entries to select the Eckrich® 2023 Teacher of the Year. Entries will be judged based on the nominee they believe most stands out as a truly inspiring and/or meaningful educator and the potential impact of the project chosen to fund through a donation from Extra Yard for Teachers. Any optional photos, videos, or other media submitted with an entry may be considered in the judging. Decisions as to the administration and operation of the Contest and the selection of the potential winner are final and binding in all matters related to the Contest. Except where prohibited, the potential winner will be required to sign and return a Declaration of Compliance, Liability and Publicity Release (“Declaration”) which must be received by Sponsor or its designee within twenty-four (24) hours of the date notice or attempted notice is sent, in order to claim the prize. If a potential winner cannot be contacted, fails to sign and return the Declaration or provide any other requested information, within the required time period (if applicable), or the prize is returned as undeliverable, the potential winner forfeits the prize. Receiving a prize is contingent upon compliance with these Official Rules. In the event that a potential winner is disqualified for any reason, Sponsor may award the prize to an alternate winner in its sole discretion.
6. Prize: One nominee will be selected to be named the Eckrich® 2023 Teacher of the Year and receive: (i) two (2) tickets for the winner and one (1) guest to the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, scheduled for January 8, 2024 in Houston, Texas (the “Game”); (ii) a $5,000 DonorsChoose Gift Card; (iii) two (2) coach airfare tickets from nearest major airport to winner’s residence to Houston, Texas; (iv) a standard double occupancy hotel room (hotel determined by Sponsor) for four (4) nights from January 5, 2024 to January 9, 2024; (v) an invitation for the winner and guest to attend select National Teacher of the Year events hosted by the College Football Playoff Foundation and the Extra Yard for Teachers Summit; (vi) meals for winner and guest at the Eckrich® 2023 Teacher of the Year hospitality area; and (vii) a $200 gift card for winner. The allocation of DonorsChoose donation funds to support a school project will be determined by the winner. All travel expenses and related or incidental costs not expressly stated in the prize description above, including but not limited to, ground transportation, incidentals, gratuities, taxes, or other expenses, are the sole responsibility of winner. Sponsor will not replace any lost, mutilated, or stolen tickets or prize items. Seat locations and timing to be determined in the sole discretion of Sponsor. Tickets may be subject to standard rain-check and cancellation policies and other terms, conditions and restrictions set by the issuer. Sponsor is not responsible for prize fulfillment if the Game is delayed, postponed or cancelled or tickets become unavailable for any reason. If the winner is unable or unwilling to attend the Game, the prize package will be forfeited in its entirety and an alternate winner may be selected.
Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) of prize package: $5,000 ARV does not include the DonorsChoose donation amount. Winner will not receive difference between actual value and ARV.
Prizes are non-transferable and no substitution will be made except as provided herein at the Sponsor’s sole discretion. Sponsor reserves the right, but has no obligation, to substitute a prize for one of equal or greater value if the designated prize should become unavailable for any reason. Additional gift card terms and conditions may apply. Winners are responsible for all taxes and fees associated with prize receipt and/or use.
7. Release: By receipt of any prize, winners agree to release and hold harmless CFP Events Inc. ("CFPE"), CFP Administration, LLC ("CFPA"), College Football Playoff Foundation, Inc., Sponsor, Signature Sports Group, Inc., 22 Squared, Red Comma Media, Inc., EDGE Marketing, Extra Yard for Teachers, Facebook, Inc., Twitter, Inc., and their respective subsidiaries, affiliates, suppliers, distributors, advertising/promotion agencies, and prize suppliers, and each of their respective parent companies and each such company’s officers, directors, employees and agents (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from and against any claim or cause of action, including, but not limited to, personal injury, death, or damage to or loss of property, arising out of participation in the Contest or receipt or use or misuse of any prize. This Contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Twitter, CFP Events Inc., CFP Administration, LLC, College Football Playoff Foundation, Inc., or any of their respective members, officers, agents, employees, or representatives. Any questions, comments or complaints regarding the Contest must be directed to Sponsor.
8. Publicity: Except where prohibited, participation in the Contest constitutes each winner’s and nominator’s consent to Sponsor’s, Extra Yard for Teachers, College Football Playoff Foundation Inc. and their agents’ use of winner’s/nominator’s name, likeness, photograph, voice, opinions, hometown and state and/or any videos, nomination stories and other material submitted in connection with an entry for promotional purposes in any media, worldwide, without further payment or consideration.
9. General Conditions: Sponsor reserves the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify the Contest, or any part of it, if any fraud, technical failures, human error or any other factor impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Contest, as determined by Sponsor in its sole discretion. In such event, Sponsor, in its sole discretion, may elect to hold a random drawing from among all eligible entries received up to the date of discontinuance for any or all of the prizes offered herein. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it finds to be tampering with the entry process or the operation of the Contest or to be acting in violation of the Official Rules of this or any other promotion or in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages from any such person to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.
Force Majeure: If any event described herein cannot be held on the scheduled date, or if any party cannot perform any or all of its obligations hereunder, because of an event of force majeure, including, without limitation, inclement weather, unplayable conditions, labor actions or work stoppages (including, without limitations, strikes and lockouts), nature calamities, public health emergencies, national emergencies, declarations of war, terrorist threat or act of terrorism, acts of God, or for any other reason beyond the reasonable control of the performing party and/or the cancellation of the event and a good faith rescheduling of such event cannot be achieved, the delay and/or cancellation of such event and/or the party's failure to perform its obligation(s) shall not be considered a breach of these Official Rules and each party shall be relieved of its obligations hereunder in connection with such event or obligations. Without limiting the foregoing, Sponsor shall have the right, but not the obligation, to cancel, suspend and/or modify the Contest, including, without limitation, any prize or any part of a prize, at any time, in the event a Game for an Entry Period is cancelled, delayed, postponed, or played with limited or without in-stadium spectators due to the Coronavirus pandemic or other force majeure event.
10. Limitations of Liability: The Released Parties are not responsible for: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by entrants, printing errors or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest; (2) technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (3) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Contest; (4) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Contest or the processing of entries; (5) late, lost, undeliverable, damaged or stolen mail; or (6) any injury, illness, or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the Contest or receipt, use, or misuse of any prize. If for any reason an entrant's entry is confirmed to have been erroneously deleted, lost, or otherwise destroyed or corrupted, entrant’s sole remedy is another entry in the Contest, if it is possible. No more than the stated number of prizes will be awarded. In the event that production, technical, seeding, programming or any other reasons cause more than the stated number of prizes as set forth in these Official Rules to be available and/or claimed, Sponsor reserves the right to award only the stated number of prizes by a random drawing among all legitimate, un-awarded, eligible prize claims.
11. Disputes: You agree that any claim or dispute at law or equity that has arisen or may arise relating in any way to or arising out of the Contest or Official Rules will be resolved in accordance with the provisions set forth in this Dispute Resolution section. Please read this section carefully. It affects your rights and will have a substantial impact on how claims you and we have against each other are resolved.
You agree that any disagreement with Sponsor arising out of, connected to, or in any way related to the Contest, the Official Rules, or the Contest prizes, you will send a written notice to the Sponsor (“Demand”). You agree that the requirements of this Dispute Resolution section will apply even to disagreements that may have arisen before you accepted these Official Rules. You must send the Demand to the following address (the “Notice Address”): Legal Department, Smithfield Packaged Meats Sales Corp., 200 Commerce Street, Smithfield, VA 23430. You agree that you will not take any legal action, including filing a lawsuit or demanding arbitration, until 10 business days after you send a Demand. If the disagreement stated in the Demand is not resolved to your satisfaction within 10 business days after it is received, and you intend on taking legal action, you agree that you will file a demand for arbitration with the American Arbitration Association (the “Arbitrator”). This arbitration provision limits the ability of you and Sponsor to litigate claims in court and you and Sponsor each agree to waive your respective rights to a jury trial or a state or federal judge. You agree that you will not file any lawsuit against Sponsor in any state or federal court. You agree that if you do sue in state or federal court, and Sponsor brings a successful motion to compel arbitration, you must pay all fees and costs incurred by Sponsor in court, including reasonable attorney’s fees. For any such filing of a demand for arbitration, you must effect proper service under the rules of the Arbitrator and notice to the Notice Address may not be sufficient. If, for any reason, the American Arbitration Association is unable to conduct the arbitration, you may file your case with any national arbitration company. The Arbitrator shall apply the AAA Consumer-Related Disputes Supplementary Procedure effective September 15, 2005 (as may be amended) and as modified by the agreement to arbitrate in this Dispute Resolution section. You agree that the Arbitrator will have sole and exclusive jurisdiction over any dispute you have with Sponsor. The Federal Arbitration Act allows for the enforcement of arbitration agreements and governs the interpretation and enforcement of the agreement to arbitrate.
You agree that you will not file a class action or collective action against Sponsor, and that you will not participate in a class action or collective action against them. You agree that you will not join your claims to those of any other person. Notwithstanding any other provision in the Official Rules, if this class action waiver is invalidated, then the agreement to arbitrate is null and void, as though it were never entered into, and any arbitration dispute at that time will be dismissed without prejudice and may be refiled in a court. Under no circumstances do you or Sponsor agree to class or collective procedures in arbitration or the joinder of claims in arbitration. Sponsor agrees that it will submit all disputes with you to arbitration before the Arbitrator.
All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of the entrant and Sponsor in connection with the Contest, or any claim or dispute that has arisen or may arise between your and Sponsor, shall be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules. The place of arbitration shall be Norfolk, Virginia.
12. Entrant's Personal Information: Information collected from entrants is subject to Sponsor’s Privacy Policy www.eckrich.com/privacy-policy.
13. Winner List: For a winner’s list, please send a self-addressed, stamped envelope within 90 days of the end of the Contest Period to: Eckrich Teacher of the Year, 111 Commerce St., Smithfield, VA 23430, Attn: Marketing Department.
This Promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.