MIAMI HERALD STUDENT BACKPACKING CONTEST OFFICIAL RULES

ELIGIBILITY: The Miami Herald Student Backpacking Contest (the “Contest”) begins January 20, 2008 at 12:00 a.m. Eastern Time (“ET”) and ends February 15, 2008 at 11:59 p.m. ET (“Contest Period”). The Contest is open to all current full-time or part-time students, whose permanent residence is in Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and Monroe counties and who are 18 to 25 years of age as of the start date of the Contest, are able to travel overseas, and are in possession of, or able to procure a valid passport if selected as a winner (“Contestants”). Promotional consideration provided by American Airlines and Rail Europe (“Promoters”). Employees of The Miami Herald Media Company, The McClatchy Company and their licensors and prize suppliers, Promoters and the foregoing entities’ respective parents, subsidiaries, and affiliates (collectively, the “Contest Entities”), and such employees’ immediate families and household members are not eligible. The Contest is sponsored by the Miami Herald Media Company, 1 Herald Plaza, Miami, Fl. 33132 (“Sponsor”).

HOW TO ENTER: Online or mail-in submissions. Here is how to enter: first, following the submission guidelines contained in these rules (“Submission Guidelines”), write an essay of 150 words or less, telling us why you want to go on a backpacking trip through Europe and how you think such a trip will affect your life or change your perspective. Then go to www.miamiherald.com/travel and follow the link to the Contest. Complete the online entry form in its entirety, write or paste your Essay in the space provided and submit your submission according to the directions on the screen (the “Submission”). Submissions must be received no later than February 15, 2008 at 11:59 p.m. ET according to Sponsor’s time. You may also mail your Submission, together with the name of your school, your name, full mailing address including zip code, daytime and evening telephone numbers (including area code) and email address to: The Miami Herald's Student Backpacking Contest, P.O. Box 01-2169, Miami, FL 33101. Mail-in entries must be postmarked by February 15, 2008 and received no later than February 22, 2008. Multiple submissions in one envelope will not be accepted and will be disqualified. No hand or e-mail deliveries will be accepted.

None of the Contest Entities are responsible for late, lost, delayed, damaged, misdirected, incomplete, void, corrupted, garbled, illegible, unintelligible, or postage-due entries and for any problems, bugs or malfunctions Contestants may encounter when submitting their Submissions. Only complete valid entries will be accepted. Sponsor will not verify receipt of entries. Incomplete, garbled, corrupted or otherwise illegible Submissions are void and will not be accepted. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify false submissions or submissions suspected of being false. All submissions submitted become the sole property of Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned. Only one submission per natural person, regardless of method of entry. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of a winner, the winner will be deemed to be the person in whose name the e-mail account governing the e-mail address was opened.

Submission Guidelines. Your Submission must explain, in your own words, why you want to go on a backpacking trip through Europe and how you think such a trip will affect your life or change your perspective. It may not be longer than one hundred and fifty (150) words, including title. In the event that an essay exceeds 150 words, the qualified judging panel will either disqualify the entry or read only the first 150 words, at its option. Your Submission must be truthful and an original work of authorship created by the person who submits the entry. Submissions may not contain any illegal, offensive or obscene subject matter. Contestants may not copy or otherwise plagiarize the Submission from any source, nor may the Submissions include third party copyrighted material. Contestant must hold all rights to the entire Submission. Sponsor is not responsible for legal protection or clearance of Submissions in any form. Contestant agrees to indemnify Sponsor against any and all claims from any third party for any use by Sponsor of Submission. If, in the sole discretion of Sponsor, your Submission constitutes copyright infringement or otherwise violates the rights of any third party, the Submission will be disqualified. Entries that are incomplete or corrupted are void and will not be accepted.

JUDGING CRITERIA: Judging will be completed in one (1) round. All submissions will be prescreened to insure they have correctly met the Submission Guidelines and meet with Sponsor’s general standards and practices prior to any judging (“Qualified Entries”). Judging of all Qualified Entries received by the end of the Contest Period will begin on or about February 25, 2008. Judging will be conducted by a qualified panel of judges on a 100-point scale as follows:
    · Compelling nature of essay: 50 points
    · Creativity and originality: 20 points
    · Enthusiasm: 20 points
    · Grammar and spelling: 10 points

The Contestant who receives the highest overall score ("Selected Contestant'') will be awarded the Grand Prize. In the event of a tie, tying entries will be rescored 
until a winner is determined.

The Selected Contestant will be contacted by Sponsor or Sponsor's agent using the information provided in the form submitted with the Submission. The Selected Contestant will be required to respond (as directed) to the phone and/or e-mail notification within 72 hours of attempted notification. The failure to respond timely to the notification may result in forfeiture of the prize and, in such case, Sponsor may chose the next highest scoring entry from among the remaining eligible entries. Each Selected Contestant will also be sent an affidavit of eligibility / liability / publicity release ("Release''). Unless restricted by law, each Selected Contestant will be required to complete and return the Release within the time period specified therein. The release will include permission by the Selected Contestant to allow Sponsor to use the submitted essay and Selected Contestant's name and likeness, in any and all advertising and newspapers throughout the world without additional compensation. Should Selected Contestant be unwilling or otherwise unable to provide such permissions and or releases, a Contestant with the next highest score will be chosen from the remaining entries until one who is able to meet all requirements can be selected. Selected Contestant must provide Sponsor with all signatures on the Release and to return the documents in a timely manner as required pursuant to these Official Rules. Selected Contestant may be asked to provide proof of residency, age and current student status. Selected Contestant’s full name, hometown and essay may be announced and published in the Miami Herald and affiliated publications and/or web site(s).

PRIZE: One (1) Grand prize: One (1) trip to Europe for one (1), including round-trip coach class airfare from a major airport in South Florida to a major airport on the European continent to which American Airlines flies; one (1) adult Eurail Pass ticket, valid for first-class railroad travel in about 18 European countries for ten days within any consecutive 
two-month period; and $500 in cash. Subject to American Airlines and Eurail terms and conditions. Total approximate Retail Value of Grand Prize (“ARV”): $3,000. The Selected Contestant will be required to finalize air reservations within thirty (30) days of accepting the prize.

Selected Contestant not entitled to any surplus between actual retail value of prize and stated ARV and any difference between stated ARV and actual value of the prize will not be awarded. No substitution, transfer, or cash redemption of prize, provided however that Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize with another prize of equal or greater value should the advertised prize become unavailable for any reason. Actual value of travel prizes may vary based on point of departure and airfare fluctuations. Prize may be awarded in the form of voucher(s), coupon(s) and/or gift card(s) in Sponsor’s sole discretion. Choice of airline(s) shall be at the discretion of Sponsor and/or its prize suppliers. Once airline and Eurail reservations have been issued, they shall not be changed, re-sold, endorsed, exchanged, transferred or in any other manner modified by Selected Contestant. Travel must be completed by December 31, 2008. Travel arrangements are subject to availability and to the terms of conditions of the airline and railroad company. Selected Contestant is solely responsible for any other unspecified expenses related to the travel prize, including without limitation accommodations, meals, ground transportation, gratuities, excess baggage charges, upgrades and any and all federal, state, and local taxes on prize, including special airport taxes and fees. Failure to do so will result in forfeiture of the prize. Selected Contestant must have all necessary identification and travel documents including valid passport and is responsible for all costs related thereto. Selected Contestant is responsible for obtaining travel insurance (and all other forms of insurance) that he/she may wish to obtain (at his/her own expense) and hereby acknowledges that neither Sponsor nor any of its prize suppliers have or will obtain or provide travel insurance or any other form of insurance. If Selected Contestant is unable to participate in or accept the prize or any portion of the prize for any reason, Sponsor shall have no further obligation to the Selected Contestant. Travel restrictions, conditions and limitations may apply, including but not limited to holiday “blackout” dates. Neither Sponsor nor any of its prize suppliers will replace any lost or stolen tickets, passes, travel vouchers or certificates. Any and all activities related to the prize, including without limitation flying, are at the Selected Contestant’s own risk and subject to whatever restrictions are imposed by the entities that govern such activities. Prizes will be awarded by email and/or U.S. mail to the continental United States only.

CONTEST CONDITIONS: This Contest is void outside the U.S. and where prohibited or restricted by law, and is subject to applicable federal, state provincial and local laws. By participating, Contestants agree: (i) to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of Sponsor, which shall be final and binding; and (ii) to waive any right to claim ambiguity in the Contest or these Official Rules, except where prohibited by law. Taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility of Selected Contestant, and Selected Contestants may be issued an IRS Form 1099 for the ARV of any awarded prize. By participating, all Contestants agree to release and hold harmless each of the Contest Entities together with their respective directors, employees, officers, licensees, licensors and agents, and respective advertising and promotion entities and any person or entity associated with the production, judging, or administration of the Contest, (collectively, the “Releasees”) from and against any and all rights, claims and causes of action whatsoever that they may have, or which may arise, against any of them for any liability for any matter, cause or thing whatsoever, including but not limited to any injury, loss, damage, whether direct, compensatory, incidental or consequential, to person, including death and property, arising in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from their acceptance, possession, use or misuse of the prize in the Contest, or their participation in the Contest, or their participation in any Contest or prize related activity, or any travel related to the Contest or any travel for any prize-related activity. By accepting the Grand Prize, Selected Contestant expressly acknowledges the inherent dangers in air travel and international travel. Selected Contestant further acknowledges that Releasees have neither made, nor are in any manner responsible or liable for, any warranty, representation or guarantee, expressed or implied, in fact or in law, relative to any prize or the Contest. All warranties are hereby disclaimed, and the Selected Contestant will accept the prize "as is".

Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify any Contestant it finds to be violating these Official Rules. Sponsor reserves the right to cancel or suspend the Contest, in its sole discretion, should it receive fewer than 30 entries, or receive no entries that have a judged score above 85 points, or due to circumstances beyond its control, including natural disasters. Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, cancel, modify or suspend the Contest should a virus, bug, computer problem, unauthorized intervention or other causes beyond Sponsor’s control, corrupt the administration, security or proper play of the Contest. Sponsor may prohibit a contestant from participating in the Contest or winning a prize if, in its sole discretion, it determines such contestant is attempting to undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest by cheating, plagiarizing, engaging in any deception, or any other unfair playing practices of intending to annoy, abuse, threaten, undermine or harass any other players or Sponsor representatives. Disputes regarding these Official Rules and/or this Contest will be governed by the internal laws of the State of Florida. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND WILL RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION FROM PARTICIPATION IN THE CONTEST. SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK REMEDIES AND DAMAGES (INCLUDING ATTORNEY FEES) TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, INCLUDING CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.
Releasees shall not be liable to the Selected Contestant for failure to supply any Prize or any part thereof, by reason of any acts of God, any action(s), regulation(s), order(s) or request(s) by any governmental or quasi-governmental entity (whether or not the action(s), regulations(s), order(s) or request(s) prove(s) to be invalid), equipment failure, threatened terrorist acts, terrorist acts, air raid, blackout, act of public enemy, earthquake, war (declared or undeclared), fire, flood, epidemic, explosion, unusually severe weather, hurricane, embargo, labor dispute or strike (whether legal or illegal), labor or material shortage, transportation interruption of any kind, work slow-down, civil disturbance, insurrection, riot, or any other similar or dissimilar cause beyond any of the Releasees’ control. None of the Contest Entities are responsible for: (a) lost, late, misdirected, undeliverable, incomplete or indecipherable entries due to system errors or failures, or faulty transmissions or other telecommunications malfunctions and/or entries; (b) technical failures of any kinds; (c) failures of any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest; (d) unauthorized human and/or mechanical intervention in any part of the submission process or the Contest; (e) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Contest or the processing of entries; or (f) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from any contestant’s participation in the Contest or receipt or use of any prize.

PUBLICITY. Except where prohibited by law, the Selected Contestant’s entry and acceptance of the prize constitutes permission for Contest Entities to use said Selected Contestant's Submission, name, photograph, likeness, statements, biographical information, voice, and city and state address for promotional or advertising purposes in connection with this Contest on a worldwide basis, and in all forms of media, now or hereafter known, in perpetuity, without review, permission or further compensation.

PRIVACY.. All personal information collected by Sponsor will be used for administration of the Contest. In addition, Contestants may receive email correspondence from, or on behalf of Sponsor subject to Sponsor’s privacy policy. Sponsor uses reasonable commercial efforts to comply with Federal CAN-SPAM guidelines, and Contestants may subsequently opt-out of receiving further emails by following the opt-out instructions contained in the email. Any questions regarding privacy matters should be directed to the address set out below. Please refer to Sponsor’s privacy policy located at http://www.miamiherald.com/825/index.html for important information regarding the collection, use and disclosure of personal information by Sponsor.

OFFICIAL RULES AND WINNERS’ LIST. For a copy of these Official Rules or the name of Selected Contestant, send your request in a self-addressed, stamped envelope (WA, VT residents need not affix postage) to: Miami Herald, The Miami Herald Student Backpacking Contest, 1 Herald Plaza, Miami FL 33132-1693. Request must be received by September 1, 2008.

© 2008 The McClatchy Company. All rights reserved.