Student Essay Contest to Attend APTA's
Federal Government Affairs Forum

Policy

 

The Section on Pediatrics will award the cost of one student's attendance at APTA's Federal Government Affairs Forum per year. This award will be in the form of reimbursement for the cost of student travel and 2 days per diem for room and board for attendance at the Forum.

 

Criteria for Eligibility

 

Applicants must be current Section on Pediatrics members and students enrolled in an accredited professional physical therapist/physical therapist assistant education program.

 

Application Process

 

• The applicants will submit the application form to the Section on Pediatrics Executive Office. The application must be received via electronic mail by the Executive Office by February 15.
• The application form includes an essay, 300 words or less, double spaced, describing what the applicant sees as the role of pediatric physical therapy in government affairs issues. 
• The essays and applications will be reviewed by the Section's Federal Affairs Liaison and the chair of the Student Subcommittee of the Membership Committee.
• The Federal Affairs Liaison and the Student Subcommittee will notify the Executive Office and the awardee via either electronic mail or standard mail by March 1.
• While attending the Federal Government Affairs Forum, the awardee will shadow the Section's representative at the meeting for mentoring.
• Following the Forum, the awardee will complete a follow-up essay, 300 words or less, describing what he/she enjoyed most about APTA's Federal Government Affairs Forum, what he/she experienced, and what he/she learned about APTA and the Section.
• The awardee will submit proof of attendance, along with original receipts for travel (up to $450) and lodging and food (up to the current per diem rate of $250) to the Section on Pediatrics Office at 1111 North Fairfax Street, Alexandria, VA 22314-1488, no later than May 31 following the Forum.
• The Section on Pediatrics will then mail a reimbursement check for travel and lodging/food costs to the awardee's contact address.
• If the Section on Pediatrics does not receive the awardees' follow-up essay by May 31, the awardees forfeits the award.

 

Guidelines

 

• The Section's Federal Affairs Liaison and the chair of the Student Subcommittee of the Membership Committee will request nominations for this award via the Section newsletter and other communications mechanisms.
• Application forms can be obtained from the Section's Executive Office. The application form along with supporting data must be sent by February 15 to the Section on Pediatrics Executive Office.
• The Section's Federal Affairs Liaison and the chair of the Student Subcommittee of the Membership Committee will review all nominations submitted.
• The Section's Federal Affairs Liaison and the chair of the Student Subcommittee of the Membership Committee will notify the recipient and send letters of thanks to any other applicants (applicants who are not selected and are not graduating will be encouraged to apply again the following year) no later than March 1.
• The Section's Federal Affairs Liaison and the chair of the Student Subcommittee of the Membership Committee shall notify the Executive Office of the recipient no later than March 1.
• The Section's Federal Affairs Liaison and the chair of the Student Subcommittee of the Membership Committee shall have the honor of announcing the award through the Section's spring newsletter.
• The Section's Federal Affairs Liaison and the chair of the Student Subcommittee of the Membership Committee will maintain confidentiality in all matters dealing with the selection of award recipients.

 

Responsible to:

 

The Section's Federal Affairs Liaison and the chair of the Student Subcommittee of the Membership Committee is responsible to the Executive Committee of the Section.

 

 

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