Essay Contest: Win an afternoon with Paralympian Cheri Blauwet

Calling all PYD Young Participants!

We are happy to announce an essay contest like no other! The grand prize is a one-of-a-kind afternoon of sport, recreation, and mentoring with Cheri Blauwet that will take place at the Spaulding Weingarten program, which is based at Spaulding Charlestown, and offers varied activities including both land and water sports.

More about Dr. Cheri Blauwet: As a former Paralympic athlete and two-time winner of both the Boston and New York City Marathons, Cheri Blauwet, M.D. is a fantastic role model to all aspiring athletes with a disability. Dr. Blauwet is the chairperson of the International Paralympic Committee’s Medical Committee, directs the Disability Access and Awareness division at Spaulding Rehabilitation Network, and is an attending physician at Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. What’s more is that Cheri heads to Rio this month leading the medical committee that advises the Paralympic Games!

All essayists, please reflect and answer the following:

  1. What most excites you about the opportunity to spend an afternoon with Dr. Cheri Blauwet?
  2. How has a mentor in your life shaped the way you think about yourself, about the world more generally, and/or about others (for example, friends, family, people you know or meet)?

Essay contest parameters and criteria:

1. Your essay must be no fewer than 400 and no more that 1,000 words in length, in fully developed, well-organized paragraphs, double spaced.

2. Essay must be accompanied by the following information:

a. Your first name, last name.

b. Your email address (if available).

c. Your mailing address and phone number (if available).

3. Entry deadline is Tuesday, September 13, 2016. Your essay must be submitted online or postmarked by Tuesday, 9/13, no later than 11:59 PM, Eastern Standard Time.

4. One entry per youth.

5. All persons ages 12 to 27 are eligible.

6. Essay must be solely the work of the entrant.

7. The winner will be notified via email and/or by mail by September 30th. The winner is responsible for providing their mailing address, email address and phone number and other necessary information in order to receive the prize. The winner agrees to allow PYD to post their name and essay on PYD’s website and on PYD’s social media channels. The essay may be posted in its entirety on the website with full credit given to the author.

8. Winner will be responsible for transportation to and from the afternoon with Cheri.

9. Please either email your essay to nmalo@pyd.org or mail to: Nicole Malo, Partners for Youth with Disabilities, 95 Berkeley Street, Suite 109, Boston, MA 02116.

If you have any questions, please email or call Nicole at nmalo@pyd.org, 617-556-4075 x17.

* Last but not least, each youth who submits a qualifying essay will receive a thank you certificate and gift from PYD that acknowledges your participation in this unique contest.*

BIG Thank you to our panel of judges:

Dr. Joe DeAngelis, MD, MBA Joe is an orthopedic surgeon at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center who completed a fellowship in Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery.
Jamie Chaloff, Director of Dreamfar High School Marathon Jamie, a special education teacher in Newton, completed her first marathon in 2004. Reaching the finish line was one of the most empowering moments of her life.
Juan Martin Botero Juan, a Senior Software Engineer in Boston, PYD Mentor, and sport enthusiast.
Eric Reidister Eric, a Sophomore at the University of New Hampshire, PYD Mentee, and sled hockey player.

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