By entering this contest, participants and their parents or legal guardians must agree to abide by these Official Rules:

1. Eligibility:

Contests are open to K-12 students residing in the United States. Participants must belong to the specified grade categories to enter each contest. For entrants under 18, parental or guardian permission is required to participate. Entrants must agree to the terms of sharing their invention in the Lewis Latimer's House Museum's magazine and on social media.

2. Submission Period

Entries will be accepted from February 1, 2024 to March 31, 2024.

3. Submission Guidelines:

Latimer's Legacy Invention Contest (K-5):

• Participants must submit a photo of their invention drawing in JPG format by emailing it to info@lewislatimerhouse.org.

• Submissions should include the name of the invention, a brief description of what it does, the entrant's full name, grade, and the name of their school.  

• Submission must be original content without violating copyright or intellectual property rights.

• Submitted photographs cannot be retouched.

• Submissions should  contain no visible watermarks, signatures, or personally identifiable information.

• Submissions should not be previously published or awarded elsewhere.  

• One entry per participant.

Latimer's Legacy Poetry Contest (Grades 6-8):

• Participants must submit their original poem by emailing it to info@lewislatimerhouse.org.

• Submissions should include the title of the poem, the entrant's full name, grade, and the name of their school.  

• Submissions should not be previously published or awarded elsewhere.  

• Poems should not exceed 20 lines in length.

• Submission must be original content without violating copyright or intellectual property rights.

• One entry per participant.

Latimer's Legacy Art Contest (Grades 9-12):

• Participants must submit a photo of their artwork in JPG format by emailing it to info@lewislatimerhouse.org.

• Submissions should include the title and medium of their artwork, the entrant's full name, grade, and the name of their school.  

• Submission must be original content without violating copyright or intellectual property rights.

• Submitted photographs cannot be retouched.

• Submissions should  contain no visible watermarks, signatures, or personally identifiable information.

• Submissions should not be previously published or awarded elsewhere.  

• One entry per participant.

4. Prizes:

Three (3) Grand Prize winners will be chosen (one from each of the specified grade range categories).

Grand prize: $175 gift card, a pair of Under Armour Curry 1 Black History Month Edition Lewis Latimer sneakers (ARV: $150, sizes are subject to availability), a class field trip for up to 30 students to Lewis Latimer House Museum (ARV: $150 transportation not included. If outside of the NYC area or if winners class is not able to schedule an in-person field trip, a virtual field trip will be awarded), a Scholastic book titled Lewis Latimer: A Brilliant Inventor (Bright Minds) (ARV: $17.99, hardcover subject to availability).

Runner up prizes of Under Armour Curry 1 Black History Month sneakers or Scholastic books may be awarded at the discretion of LLHM staff.

 If under 18, a parent or legal guardian may be required to claim prizes. 

5. Publication Rights:

Entrants grant permission for their invention to be shared in Lewis Latimer's House Museum's magazine and on social media platforms.

6. Deadline:
 Submissions must be received by March 31, 2024 11:59PM ET.

7. Judging Criteria:

Entries will be evaluated by Lewis Latimer House Museum staff based on originality, creativity, relevance to the theme, and adherence to contest guidelines.  

8. Notification and Prize Claim:

 Winners will be notified by email on April 15, 2024. Winners must claim their prize by April 22, 2024 or prizes will be forfeited and awarded to the next runner up.

9. Questions

For any questions about the contest, email info@lewislatimerhouse.org.