Closing the Opportunity Divide

Annual BMSD Objectives	In support of Microsoft’s commitments to enabling broad access to technology to any person from any background, Blacks at Microsoft (BAM) hosts its annual BAM Minority Student Day (BMSD).  The goals of this event are:

•	Build and maintain relationships with students from minority and under-represented populations
•	Expose students who attend schools with limited resources to diversity at Microsoft in various professions, educational backgrounds and cultures
•	Present information to students to encourage them towards continued education post high school
•	Encourage students to learn about the opportunities that can lead to a career in the field of technology
•	Provide an opportunity for students to learn about emerging technologies that Microsoft is developing

	
•	Fully enrolled high-school students
•	Students from minority and/or under-represented populations
•	Students who have the ability to attend BAM Minority Student Day in-person at one of our major locations:
•	Redmond, WA
•	Mountain View, CA
•	Las Colinas, TX
•	Atlanta, GA
•	Charlotte, NC
•	Chicago, IL
•	Philadelphia, PA
•	Washington, DC
•	New York, NY
•	Students who complete all required essay and application materials in this packet

Who’s Invited	

	
Event & Essay
Details	This will be the 23rd Annual BAM Minority Student Day!  This year’s event will be held on Friday, March 14, 2014 with a theme of “Closing the Opportunity Divide”.  Today’s youth face an opportunity divide – a gap between those who have access to the skills and training they need to be successful, and those who do not.  It is important that we  work together to close this divide in order to secure the future of our youth.

Students at each location will participate in a keynote session, will get exposure to the latest Microsoft technologies as well as build relationships they can leverage to take advantage of their opportunities!

Full schedules of the day will be provided to the school counselors who will be chaperoning the event.

Essay Details:
All students who wish to attend BMSD, must complete all required essay and application information.  Essays and applications submitted by Friday, January 10, 2014 will automatically be entered to win one of several fabulous Microsoft prizes including a Windows 8 Laptop! Any essays and applications submitted after this date will not be eligible for any of the prizes but must be postmarked no later than Friday January, 17, 2014 to guarantee a seat at BMSD!

Essay Topic:  
In at least 2 pages, double-spaced, define an “Opportunity Divide” that you experience or observe in your daily life.  Provide sufficient detail as to why you feel this is an “opportunity divide”.  You must describe what you would do to close the divide by leveraging technology.

•	Essays must be original and individual content.  Information cannot be copied or plagiarized from public websites or fellow students.
•	Essays must contain information that answers the full essay topic
•	Essays must contain correct spelling, grammar and punctuation
•	Essays must be typed and double spaced on 8 ½ by 11 white paper.
•	Essays must include a title page with the student’s name, the counselor’s name, counselor’s phone number and high school name.
•	Essays must be reviewed by the school counselors and attain a signature from the counselor.
•	Essays must be creative 

	

I. BMSD Student Application	
Name:							
	Last		First		Middle		
Date of Birth:			Gender:					
Address:							
	Street		City		State		
							
	Zip						
Phone Number:	(      )        -		Email:			
		
Dietary Restrictions			
Accessibility Needs:			
		
High School Name:			
Grade:							
School Counselor Name:			
School Counselor Phone Number:	(      )        -  			
		
Emergency Contact Name:			
Emergency Contact Phone Number:			
Emergency Contact Relation:			
							
Essay winners will be presented their prizes on the day of the event.  If you are selected as a winner, are you available to attend the event in-person? (Check one)		
	 Yes	 No			

		
II. Media Release Agreement		

Permission to use media:		
I confirm that I am the author and owner of the following written work (“media”) described as:
(INSERT TITLE OF ESSAY HERE)		

I hereby permit Microsoft to use the Media in various Microsoft products including but not limited to all product editions and versions, SKUs, updates, associated products and services, service packs, upgrades, subsequent releases, whether similarly branded or not, and localizations in all foreign languages of the products, all Microsoft Web sites and/or hardware or software products, including all editions, successors, future versions and upgrades thereto, (collectively, the “Products”) and any marketing and advertising materials for the Products, on a worldwide basis and for the life of the Products. Microsoft and its end users may edit, crop, manipulate, blend, morph, cut-out, and collage the Medias(s) as necessary or desirable as MS or its end user selects, without my prior review or approval. 

I have the necessary rights to grant permission for the use the Media described above, and I hereby grant a perpetual, worldwide royalty-free, irrevocable license, with rights to assign and sublicense, to Microsoft and its legal representatives, licensees, and assigns (hereinafter “Microsoft”) to use the Media for the uses described above. Microsoft may use the Media without limitation. I also warrant that: (i) Microsoft’s use of the Media will not infringe any copyright or other legal rights of any third party, (ii) no additional permissions or approvals from any third parties will be necessary for Microsoft's use of the Media, and I agree to indemnify Microsoft against any claim to the contrary. I expressly consent to the uses described above with respect to any moral rights I may have or claim in the Media, and I agree that I will not receive attribution as the author of the Media except as provided below (if checked). 

I represent that I am at least eighteen years of age, am competent and have authority to execute this license.		
Signature:			Print Name:				
							
Signature of Parent or Guardian (if not 18 years of age):			
							
Media Owner Information						
Print Name:							
Email:							
Address:							
	Street		City		State		
							
	Zip						
Date							

III. Press Release Agreement		
Name of Depicted Person: 	____________________________________________________________							
Please check all of the applicable items below for the applicable audio recording, video, film, photograph, illustration, or written work (“Media”):

	I confirm that I am the individual depicted or used in the Media and I grant Microsoft its legal representatives, licensees, and assigns, the unrestricted and irrevocable rights and releases described below to use my appearance, form, name, likeness and voice, as contained in the Media.

	My child is depicted or used in the Media and my signature confirms I am the legal guardian of said children and on their behalf, and I grant Microsoft its legal representatives, licensees, and assigns, the unrestricted and irrevocable rights and releases described below to the appearance, form, name, likeness and voice, or each listed child, as contained in the Media.

Rights and Releases Granted To Microsoft

The right to distribute such Media for use in or related to various Microsoft products including but not limited to all product editions and versions, SKUs, updates, associated products and services, service packs, upgrades, subsequent releases, whether similarly branded or not, and localizations in all foreign languages of the products, all Microsoft Web sites and/or hardware or software products, including all editions, successors, future versions and upgrades thereto, (collectively, the “Products”) and any marketing and advertising materials for the Products, on a worldwide basis and for the life of the Products. I expressly release, on my behalf or on behalf of the children, or on behalf of the deceased individual (as checked above and applicable), Microsoft and its legal representatives, licensees, and assigns, from and against any and all actions, liabilities, losses, demands or claims that I or my children, or the owners of any rights applicable to me, my depicted children, or the deceased individual, (as checked above and applicable) have or may in the future have for rights of publicity, invasion of privacy, defamation, libel or slander and/or any other tort or cause of action arising out of any use of the Media, even if such use is objectionable.  

I waive any right to inspect or approve any use of the Media and any payment or additional consideration for any use of the Media. I understand and agree that the Media may be modified, altered, cropped and combined with other content such as images, video, audio, text and graphics. I acknowledge and agree that this release is binding on my (or my children’s or the deceased individual’s, as checked above and applicable) heirs and assigns, and that the personal information provided by me as part of this release may be used and disclosed by Microsoft and its licensees and assigns for the purposes of selling, licensing and distributing the appearance, form, name, likeness and voice, of the person indicated above as contained in the Media for commercial purposes.
		
I represent that I am at least eighteen years of age, am competent and have authority to execute this release.	
Signature:			Print Name:			
						
Signature of Parent or Guardian (if not 18 years of age):		
						
Media Owner Information					
Print Name:						
Email:						
Address:						
	Street		City		State	
						
	Zip					
Date						

		
IV. School Faculty Member Agreement		

I, ____________________________, have read and reviewed the Blacks at Microsoft Minority Student Day (BMSD) essay being submitted by ___________________________________. To the best of my knowledge, the student submitting the essay is in fact the author of the essay.

School Faculty Member’s Signature:   ____________________________________________________
Name of School & Title:  _________________________________________________________________