The Maurice R. Hilleman Essay Contest is a program of the Vaccine Makers Project, presented by the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The 2024 contest is co-sponsored by the Public Health Association of British Columbia and the National Association of Biology Teachers (NABT), with assistance from Kids Boost Immunity and Immunize Canada.

Please use this page for Canadian entries only. (Click here for U.S. residents' entry page.)

Instructions:

  • Complete this online form in its entirety and upload a PDF of your essay by the official contest deadline of 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on February 15, 2024.
  • Before completing this form, please review the contest Official Rules including essay guidelines, eligibility, deadline, submission directions, and prize information with a parent or legal guardian at hillemanfilm.com/contest/rules.
  • To complete this form, you will need the following:

            Essay-related Items

    • A PDF of your finished essay.
    • A brief description of the process used when writing your essay to enter in the box provided on the form. This section is mandatory. If incomplete, the essay submission will be disqualified.
    • A list of the resources or references you used when creating/writing your essay in the box provided. This section does NOT count toward the word limit for the essay. If you did not use any sources, please note this in the box.

            Entrant Information Items

    • The following personal information: full name, address, date of birth and current grade.
    • The following information about your school: school name, teacher name and email.
    • The following information about your parent: name, address, email and phone number.
    • In addition, both you and your parent will need to sign the form. You will need to use the same computer to do so.

    Submission reminders:

    • Your essay must be 500-1,000 words in length. We allow a 25-word buffer. Any submission beyond the buffer (under 475 words or over 1,025 words) will be disqualified.
    • Your essay must be a response to the essay prompt, “Dr. Hilleman made his impact on the world through the development of vaccines. What scientific issue would you take on if given the chance and why?” Any essays about other topics, regardless of how well written, will not be considered. 
    • Entries utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) beyond idea generation will not be considered. 
    • Your entry must be received by the official contest deadline. Online entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on February 15, 2024. Mailed entries must be postmarked by February 15, 2024.

    Questions related to the contest, the form, or the Official Rules should be emailed to the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia at vacinfo@chop.edu. Include the subject line “Student Essay Contest” in your email. Also, please indicate your country of residence.

    ENTRANT INFORMATION

    If the entrant is over the age of majority in their province/territory of residence, the entrant MUST complete the below Agreement to Participate and Agreement to the Official Rules.
    I have reviewed the Official Rules of this essay contest available at https://hillemanfilm.com/contest/rules, and in consideration of the mutual promises contained therein and intending to be legally bound, I hereby:

    1. agree to enter this contest; 
    2. agree to the terms and conditions set forth in the Official Rules; and,
    3. assign all right, title and interest in and to the essay written by me to Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (“CHOP”) perpetually and throughout the world, and waive any and all moral rights I may have therein in favour of CHOP, the Co-Sponsor and the Assistant Entities
       
    In witness whereof, I have hereto executed this Agreement to Participate and Agreement to the Official Rules. Please sign in the box below using your mouse.
    Sign in the above box with your mouse
    Sign in the above box with your mouse
    One file only.
    5 MB limit.
    Allowed types: pdf.

    PARENT INFORMATION AND PERMISSION

    This section of the entry form MUST be completed by the entrant’s parent or legal guardian even if the entrant is over the age of majority. Completion by anyone other than that will automatically disqualify entrant from participating in the contest. For questions related to this policy, please send an email to vacinfo@chop.edu with subject line “Student Essay Contest.”
    Format: XXX-XXX-XXXX
    Permission to Participate and Agreement to the Official Rules
    I have reviewed the Official Rules of this essay contest available at https://hillemanfilm.com/contest/rules, and in consideration of the mutual promises contained therein and intending to be legally bound, I hereby:
    1. permit my child/ward to enter this contest; 
    2. agree individually and on behalf of my child/ward as his/her parent or legal guardian, to the terms and conditions set forth in the Official Rules and to ensure my child/ward abides by and follows the Official Rules; and,
    3. Assign, on behalf of my child/ward, all right, title and interest in and to the essay written by my child/ward to Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (“CHOP”) perpetually and throughout the world, and waive any and all moral rights my child/ward may have therein in favour of CHOP, the Co-Sponsor and the Assistant Entities.
    In witness whereof, I have hereto executed this Permission to Participate and Agreement to the Official Rules. Please sign in the box below using your mouse.
    Sign in the above box with your mouse
    Sign in the above box with your mouse

    NOTE: The following section is MANDATORY. If incomplete, the essay submission will be disqualified.
    Please include a brief description of the process used when writing your essay (up to 150 words).
    For example, did you use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to generate ideas (Note: In the spirit of the contest, you cannot use AI for any purpose other than idea generation in connection with contest) Did you receive assistance from a parent, teacher, or someone else? What was your editing process?

    Please list any resources or references you used when creating/writing your essay, so we can understand where you got your information and more easily fact check your content accuracy. This section does NOT count toward the word limit for the essay.

    If you prefer to mail your submission, please download this form and mail your entry to the address listed in the Official Rules by the contest deadline.