March is Youth Art Month! To celebrate youth artists, The Memphis Medical District Collaborative is hosting a t-shirt design contest where young people can submit designs that could be used during our summer Career Launch Academy for youth. 

Hire Local’s Career Launch Academy is an annual summer program for juniors and seniors interested in healthcare. Rising seniors complete a 5-week career exploration program while graduating seniors join a CNA certification program. This program is a partnership with Memphis Shelby County Schools (MSCS) to trainrecent High School graduates with Nursing Assistant (CNA)positions at Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare.  All roles covered in the program have clear career paths into nursing or technologist positions and have a starting pay of at least $15 an hour plus benefits at all Methodist Le Bonheur campuses. Most importantly, Career Launch Academy is a paid program, all participants receive $15 an hour for their time and their tuition is FREE. Last year, MMDC upskilled 43 Memphis youth. We estimate to serve 100 students in 2024.

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1. Eligibility:

•    The contest is open to all Memphis area high school students!

2. Theme:

• Designs should reflect the spirit and theme of the summer academy, which focuses on youth, STEM, leadership, career exploration, innovation, healthcare, quality jobs, and professional journey.

3. Design Guidelines:

• Career Launch Academy 2024
• Designs must be original and not previously published
• Designs should be appropriate for all ages
• Use of copyrighted material, including logos, images, and characters, is not allowed
• Designs must be submitted in digital format (PDF, JPEG or PNG) and must be scalable to fit on a t-shirt

4. Submission Process:

• Designs should be submitted here or through the link below.
• Each student may submit only one design

5. Judging Criteria:

• Creativity and originality of the design
• Relevance to the theme and spirit of the summer academy
• Visual appeal and suitability for a t-shirt
• All MMDC staff will be invited to vote on the submissions

6. Prizes: The winning design will be featured on all summer academy shirts and merchandise. The winner will receive:

• A Guaranteed seat in the summer Career Launch Academy 
• Social media story and website mention
• $100 Honorarium (Agree to support CLA orientation or a info session event; work with MMDC and Cole’s Printing on design implementation work)

7. Deadline:

• All submissions must be received by April 8, 2024

8. Rights and Permissions:

• By submitting a design, participants grant the summer academy the right to use, reproduce, and modify the design for promotional and merchandising purposes
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9. Notification:

• The winner will be notified via email and/or phone by April 15, 2024
• If the winner cannot be contacted or does not respond within five business days, an alternate winner may be selected.

10. Additional Information:

• The decision of the judging panel will be final.
• MMDC reserves the right to cancel or modify the contest rules at any time.
• For any inquiries or clarifications, please contact 901-552-4781 or intern@mdcollaborative.org.

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