Florida City Week Writing Contest

Sunny Isles Beach residents in grades 6 – 8 are invited to take part in this year’s Florida City Week Writing Contest. Entrants must submit a handwritten, one page essay answering the question "What makes my city special?"  

Five winners will be selected to receive a $100 gift card as well as recognition at the November Commission Workshop. Winners will also have the opportunity to sit with an elected official and participate during the workshop. 

Florida City Week is a weeklong event, held every October, when Florida’s cities celebrate, showcase, and engage citizens in the work of municipal government. It is a time for municipalities to foster civics education, collaboration, volunteerism, and more.  

The contest runs from October 13 – November 3. All entries must be submitted in-person at the Sunny Isles Beach Visitor Center, 18070 Collins Ave. 

Visitor Center Hours:

Monday – Friday: 8:30 am – 5 pm

City of Sunny Isles Beach Florida City Week Writing Contest – Rules & Conditions

No payment of any kind is necessary to participate in or win the City of Sunny Isles Beach Florida City Week Writing Contest.

Minors in grades 6^th – 8^th are eligible to participate. Minors must ask their parent or legal guardian for permission to participate. If a participant is a minor, his or her parent or legal guardian agrees to these official rules along with and on behalf of his or her minor child. In order to win any prize, the parent of a minor must submit a written consent form prior to the award of the prize.

1. Eligibility: The City of Sunny Isles Beach Florida City Week Writing Contest (the “Contest”) is open to residents in grades 6^th through 8^th. Immediate family members (parent, child, or sibling) or members of the same household of any City employee or elected official are not eligible to enter.
   
   
2. Contest Period: The Contest period begins on October 13, 2025, at and ends on October 27, 2025.
   
   
3. How to Enter: During the Contest period, stop by the Visitor Center during operating hours to submit your one-page, handwritten essay.
   
   
4. Selection of Winners: Five winners will be selected on November 7, 2025. Winners will be chosen by the elected officials. Judging will be subjective and based on the quality and content of the essay. The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.
   
   
5. Winner Verification and Notification: The contest winner will be notified by November 12, 2025. Winner will pick up their prize at the SIB Commission Chambers, located at 18070 Collins Avenue, on Thursday, November 20, 2025. Winner will be required to complete, sign and return a Social Media Contest Hold Harmless Form before the prize is claimed. By participating in this contest, entrants consent to the use of the entrant’s name, photograph, likeness, voice and/or video for promotional purposes, including, but not limited to, online and on-air announcements, signage, posters, television, magazine articles, websites, social media sites (including, but not limited to Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram), and any other publication at the City’s discretion, without limitation and without additional compensation except where prohibited by law. In the event of a conflict between the entry instruction and these contest rules, these contest rules shall control.
   
   
6. Prize: Five winners will receive the following prize: a $100 gift card, recognition at the November 20, 2025, 3:00 PM Eastern Time Commission workshop, and the opportunity to sit with an elected official and participate during the workshop. The City is not responsible for any delay, cancellation or rescheduling of any event and no substitution or compensation shall be awarded. The City reserves the right to not award the prize associated with that canceled event without any payment or obligation to the winner or potential winner. The City reserves the right to substitute a prize, in whole or in part, with another prize (or prize component) of equal or greater value or alternatively, may substitute such prize with a comparable prize or like of the City’s discretion. Winner(s) must present official identification prior to being awarded the prize.

1. General Rules: The City reserves the right to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process and/or to cancel, modify or suspend this Contest should entrant fraud or misconduct or other causes beyond the control of the City corrupt the administration, integrity, security or proper operation of the Contest. The City is not responsible for any typographical or other error in the printing of the offer, administration of the Contest, or in the announcement of the prize. Each entrant releases and agrees to hold the City harmless from and against any and all claims and liability arising from or in connection with participation in this Contest. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. City is not responsible for lost, late, illegible, incomplete, blocked, delayed, technical or human errors in submitting contest entry.
   
   
2. Use of Entry Information: The City will not use submitted information for any purpose other than to contact the potential winners.
   
   
3. Photo Release: The City and its authorized employees or agents may use any photos submitted to this contest in future City-sponsored brochures, posters, websites, social media, pamphlets, newspaper, City advertisements and/or any other promotional materials. The participants of this contest agree to give permission for photographs to be used in future promotional materials by the City and agree that any photographs, pictures, slides, movies or videos may be used in connection with participation in the contest without any compensation from the City or their agents and employees and you agree to hereby consent to the use of said photographs, pictures, slides, movies, or videos for any legal purpose.