FCCA Children’s Essay Competition

Pembroke Pines, FL- (April 21, 2006) - The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) has released the theme for their annual Children's Essay Contest, Why Should My Destination be on a Cruise Ship's Itinerary?

The FCCA encourages participation from any and all destinations. It is a competition that is meant for the benefit of all the participants. Not only does it promote children's creativity and generate general awareness of the cruise tourism's role, it gives them the opportunity of fine-tuning their scholastic skills. The contest has been instated for over ten years and now has two categories: a junior division for children ages 12 and under and a senior selection for children 13-16 years old.

The sole goal isn't for this to be a temporary task for the participants.

The primary aim is to assist students in progressing their education. The top three winners from both categories receive academic scholarships of $2,500, $1,500, and $1,000 in addition to a separate monetary award, which is given to their schools. The first prize awards also permits the winners to read their essays and accept their prizes at the tenth annual FCCA Caribbean Cruise Conference & Trade Show. Each school must submit their entries, one from each age category, to their country’s selection committee no later than Monday, July 3, 2006.  Each country is to submit the original essays written in English for their two winners (one from each age category) to the FCCA no later than Monday, September 4, 2006.  Faxed essays & copies will be disqualified!! Thereafter, the FCCA will notify all winners by September 11, 2006.

Contest rules and guidelines are distributed through the Ministry of Tourism or tourism office in each destination. Further information can also be provided by Monica Rojas of the FCCA, tel. (954) 441-8881, fax: (954) 441-3171, e-mail: mrojas@f-cca.com.

NOTE TO EDITORS: THE TEXT OF THE WINNING ESSAYS IS AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

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