Team Resources
This section can serve as one of your main resources in developing a high-quality and meaningful presentation, as it provides important information on SIFE’s policies and guidelines in regards to competitive events and details helpful tips and suggestions on how to take your written and verbal reports to the next level. The sections included are:
Competition Format and Rules
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These are the standard guidelines that all SIFE teams must adhere to in piecing together their overall presentation. It includes limitations on the annual report dimensions, the breakdown of the 37-minute time-block allotted your team and highlights of important policies to be aware of as you prepare for and participate at a SIFE competitive event.
Written Annual Report
Each competing team is required to create a written annual report on its educational outreach projects. Written annual reports are limited to the dimensions noted below, but can be bound or folded in any manner:
1. Four single sheets of 8.5” x 11” or A4 size paper with print only on one side of each sheet.
2. Two single sheets of 8.5” x 11” or A4 size paper with print on both sides of each sheet.
3. One sheet of 11” x 17” or A5 size paper with print on both sides.
If a team uses a cover or back page, it will count as one of those pages. Annual reports are distributed to the judges during the set up period outlined below.
Each SIFE team must print and bring at the National Competition at least 20 copies of the Annual Report for the Opening Round of Competition and at least 30 copies of the Annual Report for the Final Round of the Competition.
Live Presentation
Each competing team will have a thirty-seven minute time block for their verbal/audio/visual presentation. After the faculty advisor and SIFE team are formally introduced, the time will be precisely divided as follows:
Set-up - 7 Minutes
The team will have 7 minutes to distribute the written annual report for judges to review prior to their presentation, and to set up presentation equipment (boot computers, check lighting and sound, etc.). * Please remember that during set-up, once the team has tested the equipment, projector lenses should be covered, no images or text should be projected, and no music or sound effects should be generated for the remainder of the set-up period. Also, during the Question and Answer time, projector lenses should be covered, no images or text should be displayed, and no music or sound effects should be generated.
Live Presentation - 24 Minutes
The team will have 24 minutes give their live presentation.
Question and Answer Period - 5 Minutes (10 minutes if translator is required)
There will be a mandatory 5 minute question and answer session for the judges.
Exit - 1 Minute
The team will have 1 minute to return the presentation area to the original set up and exit the room.
Anyone, including the advisor, may assist the team with the set-up or operation of audio/visual equipment; however, only student team members may participate in the presentation and/or take questions from the judges.
No team may set up any equipment in the presentation room before they are formally introduced. All equipment must be self-powered or use electrical outlets inside the judging room.
No documentation, materials, gifts or other handouts may be given to any judges with the exceptions of: (1) the team's annual report, and (2) a team roster with a brief biography of each team member for possible recruiting purposes.
Counting Projects
The following are simple guidelines to be used when counting educational outreach projects. Method for counting projects: if a team develops a lesson plan for young children and presents it to eight classes, they have not completed eight projects. They have presented one project eight times.
Example for counting hours of involvement: John and Maria each worked ten hours on "Project X" (for a total of 20 hours of student involvement). Tom worked eight hours and Jane worked six hours on the same project (for a total of 14 hours of student involvement). Total hours of student involvement on "Project X" is 34 hours. This team would report a total of 4 students involved and 34 hours of student involvement for "Project X".
Media Language
The following language should be used by SIFE teams to measure media outreach.
Reach: For broadcast media, it is the estimated number of unduplicated or different households or persons who viewed a specific station at least once for five minutes during the average week for the reported period of time. For print media, this is expressed in circulation figures.
Frequency: The average number of times the unduplicated viewers (or readers) will be exposed to the schedule of spots.
Gross Impressions: The average number of persons who view (or read) at the time the spot is run, multiplied by the number of times the spot or program is run. (Reach x Frequency = Gross Impressions)
Room Set-Up
Room Layout section of this document offers a visual of how the presentation rooms will be set up on the day of competition. Please contact your SIFE National Office for information on which equipment, if any, will be provided for your use during your team’s presentation. However, please note that your SIFE National Office is not required to provide equipment of any kind, such as computers, slide projectors, monitors, TVs, VCRs, carts, tables, etc. It is the sole responsibility of each team to secure the use of any other equipment. Nevertheless, some SIFE operations do provide one or more of these items – be sure to check with your country representative in advance of competition day.
Equipment Failure
If a team's presentation equipment ceases to operate because of a power failure in the competition facility, the competition will be halted until the problem is corrected. If the electronic equipment the team brings into the competition room fails, the time will continue to count down from the presentation time block.
Competition Room Access
Competition rooms are open to all registered attendees. SIFE teams and visitors are invited to watch other teams present, but are asked to enter and leave rooms only during the set-up period. The area behind the judges is considered public domain.
Doors to the competition room must remain unlocked and unblocked at all times to provide access to SIFE staff. The penalty for violating this rule may be automatic disqualification.
Video/Copying Policy
By competing at any SIFE sponsored competition, each team grants SIFE Albania the right and permission to document and publicize, or otherwise utilize its annual report, oral presentation and outreach projects for illustration, advertising, training, or any other lawful purpose.
SIFE teams may record the presentations of other teams at SIFE competitions under the following conditions:
1. No lights are to interfere with or inhibit the presenting team.
2. The team videotaping should be courteous and cause minimal or no distraction to the presenting team, including no rewinding or fast forwarding of tapes or other distracting noises during the presentation.
3. Equipment must be behind the judges and audience seating.
Media Policy
The SIFE official photographer/videographer and members of the mass media, approved by SIFE Albania, shall have full access to all presentation rooms at any time. This includes the use of lights and necessary equipment. All teams should be prepared for the possibility of members of the mass media filming or taking pictures of their presentation. Failure to comply with this requirement may lead to automatic disqualification.
Misbehavior
Misbehavior is unacceptable if it defames the profile of a SIFE student and as a result, the SIFE organization. The SIFE National office reserves the right to determine what unacceptable behavior is, but it should be noted that this includes, but is not limited to: use of foul language, physical battery, intoxication, harassment, defaming other teams/judges/attendees/hotel staff, tampering with and/or destruction of venue or SIFE property, etc. The student and/or team involved in such negative activities may be disqualified/suspended/ expelled from participation at that particular event or the overall SIFE program. The SIFE national office will determine the specific penalty for each action on a case by case basis and an official letter may be sent to the institutional administrator(s), notifying them of the incident and requesting their assistance in ensuring that it does not reoccur.
Observers
Please contact your Country Coordinator for information on how to register as an observer.