Judging Criteria

Each Essay and Multimedia Entry will be judged on four (4) categories:

  1. Content (1-5 points): Does the entry clearly provide an answer to the question? Does the entry contain a clear explanation of the problem(s) and possible solution(s)? Are the answers logical? Does the student demonstrate critical thinking and problem-solving skills? Is the entry free of spelling and grammatical errors?
  2. Personal Voice/Vision (1-5 points): Does the entry clearly display the student’s vision for Hawaii? Does the student express creative and unique ideas that go beyond the common solutions we commonly see today?
  3. Creativity/Originality (1-5 points): Does the entry provide new and creative ideas that demonstrate the student’s originality? The entry should not simply reiterate the ideas expressed in Hawaii: The Past Fifty Years, The Next Fifty Years by former Hawaii Governor George R. Ariyoshi. The entry may refer to his ideas and can be used as a foundation, but essentially, his book should inspire and encourage the student to develop his/her own creative suggestion to make Hawaii the best place to work and live.
  4. Style/Composition (1-5 points): Does the entry have a well-defined focus? Are the student’s thoughts easy to understand? Is his/her vision for Hawaii’s future articulated well in the entry? Do the words/colors/video segments flow smoothly together adding to the student’s overall vision? Does the composition of the entry have a strong impact that moves you?

Each of the four categories will be assigned one (1) to five (5) points:

1 point = Poor
2 points = Below Average
3 points = Average
4 points = Above Average
5 points = Excellent

Total Score/Max Points: 20