DSTV Eutelsat Star Awards for Young African Students

DSTV Eutelsat Star Awards - Creating Space for African Ideas

Contest(s) Offered: Essay writing, Innovative designs
Contest Level: Secondary / High / Combined schools
Provider: MultiChoice Africa, Eutelsat
Country to Study in: Africa

Scholarship Description
If you dream of seeing a rocket launch, here’s the chance to make your dreams come true! Enter the DStv Eutelsat Star Awards 2016 and you could win some fantastic prizes. In addition to amazing prizes up for grabs in the individual country awards, overall winners (for essay and poster) will be rewarded with the trip of a lifetime.

A partnership between Eutelsat and MultiChoice Africa gave birth to the DStv Eutelsat Star Awards, whose aim is to stimulate interest in science and technology and to inspire innovative thinking among secondary and high school students across the continent.

The awards take the form of a competition, and students are invited to write an essay or design a poster depicting how innovative use of satellite technology in the fields of communication, earth observation or navigation can propel Africa into the future. This is the 6th edition of this award.

Eligibility
To enter, students need to be between 14 and 19 years of age and enrolled at a registered secondary, high or combined schools (public or private) in the countries where Multichoice has operations.

Entry forms and essays/posters must be submitted before the closing date and time. It is the responsibility of the entrants to ensure that entries reach designated collection points prior to the closure of the competition. Any entries not received prior to the closure of the competition will not be eligible to participate, regardless of the reason for the late entry.

Only one entry, i.e. either poster or essay, may be submitted per student on the specified topic.

Entries can be prepared in English, French or Portuguese

Entries must be the own original work of the student. No previously published material will be accepted.

Only entries in the correct and specified formats will be eligible.

Plagiarism is forbidden. Entrants may quote short passages, but material copied from a source must be surrounded in double quotes (") and the source indicated. Copied materials should rarely be more than a few lines, and never as long as a paragraph. Quoting long passages is forbidden. Entries caught plagiarizing will be rejected.

All entries must include a full bibliography of sources for the essay. The bibliography should be excluded from the essay word count. The bibliography should be the last page of the essay. In the case of poster entries, the entry form, as well as a creative explanation/summary (inclusive of any sources consulted) must be attached to the poster.

Please visit the official website (link to it is below) for a detailed listing of "Terms and Conditions" of this Award.

JUDGING CRITERIA:
The Multichoice/Eutelsat panel of judges are looking for innovative thinking and ideas. Please see official website via link below for full details on these criteria.

Eligible groups
Citizens of selected African countries

Participating Institutions
Registered secondary, high or combined schools (public or private) in countries where Multichoice operates in Africa

Essay Topic
2016 TOPIC: “Take yourself into the future as a scientist, tasked with designing a new-age satellite that will help improve the lives of Africans. Tell us what you would call your satellite and describe the different functions and roles that it would play in the Africa of the future.”With reference to this quote, write an essay or design a poster to explain how satellites help us to understand and take care of our planet.

PREVIOUS YEARS TOPICS
2015 TOPIC: “Man must rise above the Earth, to the top of the atmosphere and beyond, for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives.” (Socrates)
2014 TOPIC: Imagine you are a satellite high above your country, your home, or even your school. What would you see? What would you like to tell the people below about what you see from up there? What would you like people to know? What would you like them to think about? If you could send them a message or an image, what would you like to say or show?
2013 TOPIC: Imagine you were allowed to use all the satellites in space. What would you do with them to benefit your community, your country or your continent? Write an essay or design a poster elaborating on three priorities.

Number of awards
Several awards will be given (to winners, runners-up and their schools at both national and overall levels)

Sponsorship duration
This is a onetime prize award and sponsored travels

Scholarship benefits
Top entrants from each country at the national level win prizes such as computers or tablets, and go forward to compete in the overall awards for the winning and runner up essay and poster prizes. Check with your MultiChoice country office for country prize details.

The winning essay entrant wins a trip with a parent or guardian to Eutelsat in Paris and onwards to witness a live rocket launch. The best poster winner and their parent or guardian also win a trip to Eutelsat, including a visit to a satellite manufacturing facility. The runners-up in the overall awards win a trip for two to visit the MultiChoice Africa broadcast facilities and the South African National Space Agency near Johannesburg, South Africa.

The schools attended by the overall award winners and runners-up are rewarded with a DStv installation, including dish, television, state-of-the-art PVR decoder and free access to the DStv Education Bouquet.

Please visit the official website (link to it is below) for a detailed listing of "Award Prizes" AND "Categories of Prizes" to be won at national and continental levels for both winning students and their schools.

Any costs or expenses which the entrant incurs other than in respect of those items specifically included in a prize are for the entrant’s own account. It is assumed that entrants will have sufficient funds available for all costs and expenses which they may incur during and for purposes of entry into the competition.

Method of Application
Enter the DStv Eutelsat Star Awards 2016 by creating an award winning essay or poster about satellite technology and how it shapes your world and you can win big! All entries must be accompanied by an entry form and in the case of posters an entry form and creative summary. For an entry form – which will tell you everything you need to know – visit your nearest MultiChoice Office or download it from the official website. South African entrants can collect a copy from: MultiChoice Africa, 141 Bram Fischer Drive in Randburg, Johannesburg.

Students are encouraged to consult with their science or technology teacher to increase the quality of their entries. Essays and posters can be written in English, Portuguese or French

It is important to visit the official website (link to it is below) for complete information on this contest and for a complete list of Multichoice offices across Africa.

DEADLINES:
Entries must reach Multichoice Africa on or before close of business on 7 November 2016 - so start dreaming!

PLEASE NOTE:
NO LATE ENTRIES WILL BE CONSIDERED. Entries will be accepted in hard copy format only. Entries from previous country or overall award winners will not be accepted. Entry forms must be fully completely. Entries accompanied by incomplete entry forms may not be accepted. Only entries with attached entry forms will be accepted.

MultiChoice is a leading video entertainment and internet company with a strong presence in South Africa and across the African continent.

The European Telecommunications Satellite Organization (Eutelsat) is a French-based satellite provider providing coverage over the entire European continent, as well as the Middle East, Africa, India and significant parts of Asia and the Americas.

Application Deadline: 7 November 2016
Open to International students: No (ONLY Africans)

More Scholarship Information and Application

Related: Undergraduate Scholarships for International Students