2013 CLSP Teen Video Challenge

Take part in the national Collaborative Summer Library Program (CSLP)! Create a video promoting Summer Reading at the public library, including your interpretation of the 2013 SLP teen slogan "Beneath the Surface," and you could win $275 and a $125 award for your library.


Any teen, aged 13 -18, can enter the CSLP "2013 Teen Video Challenge" in the state where they live. Videos can be created individually or as a team. The winning video from Florida will become one of the official Teen PSAs for the National 2013 CSLP Summer Reading Program (CSLP Winning Videos).


The deadline for entries is February 1, 2013. The application is available online. For more information visit the CSLP website.

ENTER NOW! Teen Film Festival

Are you a filmmaker? Want an audience to see your movie on the big screen? Want to win a BIG, Best Picture prize?

Starting TODAY, June 1st, you can enter your movie in the first annual HCPLC Teen Film Festival! Teens entering grades 6-12 are welcome to enter. Your movie can be in any genre and can be up to ten minutes long (including credits).

Deadline for entries is July 31, 2011. The ten best movies will be screened at a special red carpet event, Saturday, August 13 at the John F. Germany Public Library! Prizes in several categories will be awarded, including Best Picture... and the Best Picture winner will receive a $200 gift card!

Entries can be submitted at your local HCPLC library location OR by mail. For all the rules and the official entry form, click here!

Are You a Wimpy Kid?

Miss Jen, the Wimpy Kid

Prove it! Enter the Wimpy Kid Do-It-Yourself Comics Contest!

Jeff Kinney himself will announce the winners at the American Library Association Annual Conference on June 25, 2011.  Kids & teens 6-16 can enter until June 10, 2011, and all the details are here!

And if you're looking to get some inspiration from the original, you can pick up one of these Diary of a Wimpy titles at the library!


ps... this is what I look like as a wimpy kid, courtesy of http://www.wimpyourself.com/ --->

THIS SATURDAY! Teen Talent Show Finals!

GRAND FINALE!

Saturday, April 9th @ 3:00 PM

John F. Germany Public Library, downtown Tampa

See the winners from our five regional library Teen Talent Shows compete for big prizes and bragging rights. Who are the most talented teens in Hillsborough County?

Find out at the Teen Talent Show: GRAND FINALE!

Need directions to the John F. Germany Library? Click here!

Tweet, write, and WIN.

Want to win $50 for Amazon.com and/or a Nook eReader? Check out this contest for creative teens from the Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) and Figment.com!

Part One:

• Come up with a Steampunk device or instrument and give it a name and a description of what it looks like. For example, “Blimflocket – a wristwatch with a chain that goes up the arm and links to a person’s neck.”
• On March 7 tweet this invention along with the hashtag #YALSApunk and @figmentfiction. A winning device will be chosen based on creativity, and the inventor will receive a $50 Amazon gift card!
• On March 8, the winning device will be announced on the Figment and YALSA sites and by Twitter.

Part Two:

• For the second part of the contest, write a short story (750 words or fewer) on Figment (sign up here!) in which the winning device from the first round gets used. Submissions will be accepted March 8-11.
• Figment users will vote to select finalists the week of March 14. National Book Award winning-author, Kathryn Erskine, will choose a winning story.
• The winner will be announced the week of March 21 and will receive a Nook e-reader!

TEEN TALENT SHOWS! Register now!

Got talent? Win cash!

Do you have an unusual, unique, or highly skilled talent? Sign up to perform in the library's TEEN TALENT SHOW! Compete against other teens for cash prizes. Prizes will be given in both middle and high school divisions.

$100 - First Place

$50 - Second Place

$25 - Third Place

Want to earn double the prizes? The winners from each branch will compete in our Grand Finale, Saturday April 9th at the John F. Germany Public Library!

Sign up your act today - register at the library where you will perform.

Limit of 20 acts per location.

Spectators are welcome - invite your friends and family!

TEEN TALENT SHOW LOCATIONS

SouthShore Regional Library - Saturday, March 19 @ 3:00 PM

Bloomingdale Regional Library - Saturday, March 26 @ 12:00 PM

Jan Kaminis Platt Regional Library - Saturday, March 26 @ 3:00 PM

New Tampa Regional Library - Saturday, March 26 @ 12:00 PM

West Tampa Branch Library - Saturday, April 2 @2:00

GRAND FINALE!

John F. Germany Public Library - Saturday, April 9 @3:00 PM

Teenz Ink Short Story Contest

Calling all writers! It's time to get inspired.

The library's annual Teen Read Week short story contest, Teenz Ink, starts next Monday, October 18th. The contest is for anyone in grades 6-12. You could win a $100 gift card! Get all of the details and the online entry form right here!

Win a book shopping spree from James Patterson!

Hey high school seniors: want to win up to $5000 for new books?

Author James Patterson is giving away gift certificates to college-bound high school seniors -- eight $5000 awards, eight $2500 awards, and 40 $250 awards. Click here to get the details and online entry form. Deadline is December 31, 2010.

The 2010 Census count pays off in a big way for Hillsborough County students!

Win a $300 savings bond by participating in the Hillsborough County 2010 Census Essay Contest. The deadline for students to submit their essays is March 19.

 

A winner will be chosen from each of the following grade categories: Grades 3 - 5; Grades 6 - 8; Grades 9 - 12.

 

Students must follow the rules that apply for each of the grade categories, detailed below.

 

Grades 6 - 8
Theme - About the Census: What's It Like? It only takes 10 minutes to answer 10 questions!

• Must be 150 - 200 words
• Must be handwritten or typed, double-spaced and legible
• Must include student's name, age, grade, school and essay title
• Students must correctly use all of the following words at least once in their essays: CENSUS, DEMOGRAPHICS, HOUSEHOLD, PARTICIPATION, PRIVACY and RELUCTANT

Grades 9 - 12
Theme - About the Census: Numbers Tell A Story! Census numbers are the foundation of our democracy!

• Must be 250 - 300 words
• Must be typed and double-spaced
• Must include student's name, age, grade, school and essay title
• Students must correctly use all of the following words at least once in their essays: CENSUS, APPORTIONMENT, CONFIDENTIALITY, PROJECTIONS, REDISTRICTING and UNDERCOUNT

Essay winners will receive a $300 savings bond sponsored by Florida West Coast Credit Union, recognition plaque during an awards ceremony on April 1 and a Census T-shirt. Winners will be notified by March 25, 2010.

 

For more information about these contests, view the fliers found at www.hillsboroughcounty.org/census

 

 

 

The judges have spoken!

The winners of the Teenz Ink short story contest were announced!

The competition challenged Hillsborough County teens in grades 6-12 to write an original short story of 500-1000 words.  A panel of judges read each submission before they deliberated and selected the top stories for this year.  The winners each received a $100 gift card; and the runners-up received a $50 gift card.


First Place - High School
"The Enfoscol" by Nolan Powell

Second Place - High School
"For the Trouble of it All" by Grant Peeler

First Place - Middle School
"It Was Because of the Book" by Sara Hetherington

Second Place - Middle School
"Crash Landing" by Nicholas Searle

And you can read these winning stories here!

Special thanks to the Friends of the Bloomingdale Regional Library for sponsoring this countywide competition!

Wrestlemania Reading Challenge local winners!

Check out the 3 lucky local winners of the 2009-2010 Wrestlemania Reading Challenge bookmark contest!  Not only did they win some cool WWE swag, they will represent the Tampa-Hillsborough County Libraries at the regional level contest... where the winners get a trip for 2 to Wrestlemania 26!

5th & 6th Grade winner:

Luis V., 6th grade

7th & 8th Grade winner:
Cristian T., 8th grade

9th -12th Grade winner:
Lae'Sette R., 9th grade

Congrats, guys!  Enjoy your prizes!  And good luck in the regional bookmark competition!

Show your stuff in Teenz Ink!

Do you write short stories? Want to win some great prizes? Enter our third annual Teenz Ink short story writing contest and try your best to impress our judges!

Prizes will be awarded to a winner and a runner-up in two categories: Middle School (6-8) and High School (9-12). Grand prize is a $100 gift card and the runner-up prize is a $50 gift card.

Details & Entry Form

Co-sponsored by the Friends of the Bloomingdale Regional Library

Welcome to Teen Central!

The winning entry was announced on Saturday evening at our fabulously fun Thrill the World event at North Tampa Branch Library.  Teen Central was suggested by Narayan, a member of the Teen Advisory Board at Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library.  He and his family were on hand at Saturday to accept our thanks and a $50 gift card supplied by the Friends of the Town 'N Country Regional Library (which, by the way, has a pretty large & comfy Teen Central).

Thanks to everyone who participated by nominating space names and voting in the poll!

Let the voting begin!

The number of teen rooms in Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Libraries is growing and we need your help naming them! These teen spaces need a name to be used in all public libraries that can help identify them as COOL places just for teens (students in grades 6 – 12).

Vote for your pick in the poll
<<<<< OVER HERE
during TEEN READ WEEK, Oct.18-23. Voting will close Friday, October 23 at 9 a.m. (And, yes, you may  vote more than once.)

The winning entry will be announced at the THRILL THE WORLD event, which will be held at the North Tampa Branch Library, 8916 North Boulevard on Oct. 24, 6:30 p.m. The winner will receive a $50 gift card and credit for naming teen spaces in all Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Libraries!

Find Your Wonderland Essay Contest

The Patel Conservatory at the Tampa Bay Performing Art Center challenges students in grades 5-8 to Find Your Wonderland in an essay contest inspired by upcoming show, Wonderland: Alice's New Musical Adventure.

Winners will receive An Evening in Wonderland that includes: four (4) tickets to the Broadway Family

Night performance of Wonderland: Alice’s New Musical Adventure on Wed., Dec. 2, 2009, dinner at

Maestro’s Restaurant, complimentary valet parking, a free class at the Patel Conservatory (restrictions apply) and a Wonderland prize pack.

 
The details are here, and the deadline for getting entries to the Patel Conseratory is November 6.
 
Good luck!

Teen Tourney Rules

Game Zone Teen Tournament 2009 The 2009 Game Zone Teen Tournament consists of 2 types of events. At 8 regional Tournament Qualifier Events, we'll be searching for the top Rock Band 2 "bands" to represent their libraries at the Grand Tournament. At the Grand Tournament, those 8 "bands" will compete head-to-head in a Battle of the Bands, while Rock Band, Guitar Hero and Dance Dance Revolution challenges are offered throughout the day. Rules Rock Band 2 Battle of the Bands: Tournament Qualifier Events Rock Band 2 Battle of the Bands: Grand Tournament Rock Band, Guitar Hero, and Dance Dance Revolution Challenges General Rules of Play / Event Conduct Tournament Qualifier Events At each Tournament Qualifier Event, 4-player bands compete in a single round of game play to determine one winning band to compete in the Rock Band 2 Battle of the Bands at the Grand Tournament. Open play (just for fun) gaming opportunities may be available. Registration: Teen Tech Week events are limited to teens ages 13 - 18 only. A completed tournament registration form must be presented at registration prior to all events in order to compete. One form must be completed for each participant. Registration forms are available online at http://teens.hcplc.org/ or at each event. Registration for each event will be held on-site at each event, beginning 30 minutes prior to the event's posted start time. Due to space and time constraints, a limited number of participants will be able to compete, determined on a first come, first serve basis. Participants may register individually (to be placed in a band at random) or as part of a 4-player group, but each participant may only register once and may only compete in a single band. Game Play: The library will provide Playstation 2 gaming equipment for the use of all players. Each band will complete 2 songs pre-selected by the judges. Bands will be ranked by the highest total combined scores for the 2 songs. In the event of a tie, bands may be asked to participate in a Tie-Breaker Round in which each band selects 1 song to be played by both bands. Highest total combined score wins. The winning band at each qualifier will progress to compete in the Rock Band 2 Battle of the Bands Finals, held at the Grand Tournament event. Grand Tournament ROCK BAND 2 Battle of the Bands Finals Registration: Registration is limited to the winning bands from each of the 8 Qualifying events. In the event that a member of a band is unable to attend the Grand Tournament, the band may register 1 substitute player. At least 3 of the 4 original band members must compete. If a winning band is unable to compete in the Grand Tournament, the next runner-up may be invited to compete. Game Play: The library will provide Playstation 2 gaming equipment for the use of all players. Each band will complete 2 songs pre-selected by the judges. Bands will be ranked by the highest total combined scores for the 2 songs. In the event of a tie, bands may be asked to participate in a Tie-Breaker Round in which each band selects 1 song to be played by both bands. Highest total combined score wins. Competition Format Each band needs to put together a 3 song set list; no downloadable songs can be used. The band's final score will be an awarded based on all judging criteria. Your band will have 5 minutes before and after your band is called to setup and tear down sets. Any band intros are included in these 5 minutes. During play if a band member fails in the middle of a song, band members can save him without penalty, however if the band fails a song you will be given a score of 0 to be averaged into the other 2 songs, so make sure you know your skill level and get in some practice before the tournament. Judging Criteria: A panel of 3 judges will score musicians in each category using a point system: "Technical Score" Each band will play a three 3 song set, and Technical scores will be applied to each song. The game automatically calculates how many notes you hit, so the percent completed for each member will be added up for a combined maximum of 400 points per song. These points will be averaged to get to one score up to 400 points. "Costume Score" is judged on how it applies to your band and how you use it as part of your show. Each band member has the potential to earn up to 25 points each, for a combined maximum of 100 points. "Stage Presence" This is what this tournament is all about! It is worth a combined maximum of 500 points (100 per band member's style and difficulty plus 100 for working together as a band). This is also where difficulty factors in, so if you think you can handle a song on expert, it'll pay off huge. On top of that, what makes a rock band memorable is how you perform on stage, so feel free to dance, ad lib, props (including real instruments), lights, fog, and whatever else you think will add to the act. This is the big one… anyone can dress up and play a song, but it's HOW your band plays that makes the difference, so practice those scissor kicks and know when it's time for more cowbell, 'cause people come for the music, but they stay for the show'. Props must be supplied by the band and approved before use; Pyrotechnics are NOT allowed. ***Example Points Break Down*** ROCK BAND, GUITAR HERO and DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION Challenges at the Grand Tournament Event Registration: Teen Tech Week events are limited to teens ages 13 - 18 only. Registration for each challenge will be held on-site, beginning 30 minutes prior to the posted start time. Due to space and time constraints, a limited number of participants will be able to participate in each challenge, determined on a first come, first serve basis. For Rock Band group challenges, participants may register individually (to be placed in a band at random) or as part of a 4-player group, but each participant may only register once and may only compete in a single band for each challenge. Game Play: The library will provide Playstation 2 gaming equipment for the use of all players. In the event of a tie, the challenge judge may ask participants to compete in a Tie-Breaker Round. General Rules of Play / Event Conduct Competitors who fail to report to their tournament arena, ready to play, within 2 minutes after being called may forfeit. No song modifications. No shoes are permitted on the DDR controllers; socks and bare feet only. Disinfectant wipes will be available for use between competitors. Competitors and spectators are required to demonstrate good sportsmanship at all times and behave in a manner that complies with the Library Code of Conduct. Failure to do so may result in disqualification and/or removal from the event. A scorekeeper / judge will oversee each tournament arena and be responsible for enforcing tournament rules and ensuring fair play. If you have a complaint regarding your game, please speak to your scorekeeper / judge. If that does not resolve your complaint, please notify the lead staff member at your tournament event. His/her decision is final. Rules subject to change at any time. Event standings and winners may be posted at the event, in library print materials and online at teens.hcplc.org. Special thanks to the Ballers and Gamers for supplying the tourney format and some of the rules we're using for this event.

WE NEED YOUR VOTE!

Ask a Librarian's The Director’s Chair video contest is in its final stages, and the finalists need YOUR vote!

Ask a Librarian, your favorite reference chat service, received many creative videos from high school students around Florida. Judges narrowed the entries down to five finalists, now it’s up to you to help choose the winner by voting for your favorite video.

Visit www.askalibrarian.org/thedirectorschair and click on “vote” to see the top five videos and to vote for the one you think deserves to win.

**Polls will be open until Feb. 7 (11:59 p.m. EST).**

2009 Game Zone Teen Tournament

Teen Tech Week 2009 is coming! That means that it's time once again for the Game Zone Teen Tournament! And this year we're featuring a...

Rock Band 2 Battle of the Bands

Want to compete? Enter one of the qualifying events to win a prize pack and an invitation to play in the Grand Tournament.

• Thursday, 2/5 @ 5.30pm - Southshore Regional Library
• Saturday, 2/7 @ 6:30pm - Brandon Regional Library
• Saturday, 2/14 @ 1pm - Upper Tampa Bay Regional Library
• Sunday, 2/15 @ 1pm - New Tampa Regional Library
• Thursday, 2/19 @ 5.30pm - Bloomingdale Regional Library
• Saturday, 2/21 @ 1pm - Town 'n Country Regional Library
• Thursday, 2/26 @ 5.30pm - Jan Kamanis Platt Regional Library
• Saturday, 2/28 @ 1pm - Jimmie B. Keel Regional Library

Just want to play for the fun of it? Drop at any of these events for some open game play!

Keep an eye out here and on the teen website for rules , weekly tournament standings and more info or call the library at 273-3652.

BrainyFlix video contest

Got a video camera and some spare time? Want to win some cash while scoring some SAT vocab help? Make some...
Create a video that’ll help students remember an SAT word for BrainyFlix.com, a new website with the goal of helping high school kids prepare for the SAT by offering fun and free videos about SAT vocabulary—made by students themselves. Contest winners will receive $600.

Video submissions to BrainyFlix.com will begin January 1, 2009 and end February 23, 2009. Voting will take place between March 1-14, 2009, and the winners will be announced on March 20, 2009.

For more details check out this article by School Library Journal. And don't forget... your local library branch offers computers and software like Movie Maker that you can use!

Want to win $100 at Best Buy?

Thinking about entering our Teenz Ink short story writing contest? Want to know what you could win?

Grand prize is a $100 BEST BUY gift card and the runner-up prize is a $50 gift card to Borders or Barnes & Noble. A winner and a runner-up will be selected in each of two categories: Middle School (6-8) and High School (9-12).

Get more Teenz Ink info here!