When an athlete completes (or updates) their M Award profile form, or the same form on the www.beRecruited.com website, the completed application forms will be forwarded to The M Award processing coordinator:committee@theMawards.org.

Winners will be selected by a project team and committee appointed by the Board, including The M Awards Program Director. Bronze and Silver Award winners will be selected by The M Foundation athletes, who will champion their winners. The selection team will allow up to two weeks to validate the applicant information.

Student-athletes can submit an application from this website, or they can do so at the www.beRecruited.com website. Following is a complete overview of Official Contest Rules, Terms and Conditions.

1. Sponsor. The Sponsor of The M Awards (the "Contest") is The M Foundation, a non-profit initiative committed to promoting healthy athletic performance on the field, and simultaneously recognizing charitable achievements of young athletes off the field.
2. Eligibility. Entrants must be a varsity level student-athlete attending high school in the United States, 14 years of age or older, and must not be affiliated or related in any way to the Sponsor. Entrants who are under the age of 18 will be required in the Online Application to provide the permission and contact information (name, telephone number and email address) of a parent or legal guardian.
3. Contest Period. Entrants for the 2012-2013 M Awards must submit their applications between May 1, 2012 and no later than 11:59pm on March 31, 2013 ("Contest Period"). Any submission received after the Contest Period will be disqualified. If there are an insufficient number of entries in the sole and absolute discretion of the Sponsor, the Sponsor reserves the right to extend the Contest Period. The Sponsor's representative will notify candidates and prospective candidates of the extension by posting an announcement on the Contest Website.
4. How To Enter. There is no fee associated with this application and no purchase necessary to enter and win. Entries must be submitted electronically by completing and submitting the application on the Contest Website, or by completing and submitting the same application at partner website www.beRecruited.com (collectively “Online Application”). Submitted content must the authentic work of the applicant. The entry submission must be individually created and it will be treated as one (1) submission eligible for one (1) prize per entrant per month. Applicants may resubmit on a monthly basis either manually through www.themawards.org or automatically when their profile is updated on www.beRecruited.com.
5. Winner Selection & Judging Criteria. When an entrant completes the Online Application and submits his/her registration electronically in accordance with the instructions available on the Contest Website, the completed information will be forwarded to The M Award processing coordinator (committee@theMawards.org). The processing coordinator will review the application. If selected, the application will be forwarded to The M Award Executive Committee (the "Judges"), which may include, but is not limited to, The M Foundation's Executive Director and participating Mission athletes. Winners will be selected by a point-tally vote of the Judges. Judging will be based on the following general criteria: outstanding community service (40%), demonstrated athletic leadership (20%), commitment to healthy athletic performance (20%). The M Awards committee and a Mission Athlete will select candidates for The M Awards. All Silver and Gold M Award recipients will be required to submit supplemental information.
6. Gold Award Winner Selection and Judging Criteria. Judging Criteria will additionally include criteria previously noted along with references, presence, and vision for service in the future.
7. Winner Notification: Each of the Award winners will be individually contacted by email or phone by a representative of the Sponsor and will be required to mail or otherwise deliver to the Sponsor an Affidavit of Eligibility and Release signed and notarized by the winner (or by both the winner and the winner's parent/legal guardian if the winner is less than 18 years of age) certifying that (i) the essays submitted are the winner's original work, and (ii) that the entrant holds all rights to the submission. When selected by the Judges as a winner, if a potential winner: (i) cannot be contacted; (ii) does not respond within 14 days from the first attempted date of notification on behalf of the sponsor; (iii) fails to return the Affidavit of Eligibility and Release Form as specified in Rule 7; (iv) refuses the prize or (v) the prize or prize notification is returned as undeliverable, the potential winner forfeits all rights to win the prize and an alternate winner may be selected. Failure to provide all requested materials by that deadline, or references submitted with the Online Application that are insufficient in the sole discretion of the Judges, will disqualify the entrant from receiving a prize.
8. Affidavit and Media/ PR Form. A completed Affidavit of Eligibility and Release Form will be required of all winners due to receive a cash prize, confirming that the Sponsor has (i) copyright ownership of submitted essay content, (ii) the right to publicize the entrant’s name, (iii) the right to display or otherwise distribute the entrant’s submitted essays and photo(s) on the Internet or other places, and (iv) the right to license its rights in the submitted story to its licensees. A Media/ PR will be required of all winners, providing (i) photos, (ii) local and high school newspaper information and (iii) a thank you to the sponsor.
9. Prizes. Notification of prize winners will be made during the calendar year of the Award. Prize money will be given out at or around the Award year (i.e., at or around December 31, 2012 for The 2012 M Awards). There is no cash prize for the Bronze Award. The Silver Award winners receive a $1,000 grant to the charity of their choice and a $1,000 scholarship toward their college tuition. The Gold Award winners receive a $2,500 grant to the charity of their choice and a $2,500 scholarship toward their college tuition. We will only award scholarship money directly to an academic institution. The sponsor or an affiliate of the sponsor will send the award check to the student's college/university after the contest period has concluded if and only if the student is attending college in the upcoming academic year. Otherwise the scholarship money will be held in The M Foundation escrow account on behalf of the athlete until the requisites are met to the satisfaction of The M Foundation. The scholarship award check will be made payable to the college/university in the name of the student-athlete, and will go towards college tuition. All charity prizes will be distributed directly to the student-athlete through www.giveback.org at the end of the immediate contest period. The M Foundation reserves the right at their sole discretion to determine the amount which can be received and other factors for specific awards on a case-by-case basis. If the student does not choose to attend a college or university, the student forfeits their rights to the scholarship grant money and its distribution is at the discretion of The M Foundation.
10. Cancellation Of Contest. The Sponsor reserves the right to cancel this contest, and award no prizes at all, or no further prizes, if it does not receive entries that, in the sole discretion of the Sponsor, have met the eligibility and judging criteria and have sufficient merit in accordance with these Official Contest Rules, Terms & Conditions.
11. Sponsor Becomes Owner Of All Entries.  Entrants must own all legal copyrights to their submitted essay entries and, if selected as a winner by the Judges, will be required to confirm that in the signed Affidavit of Eligibility and Release.  The entry cannot defame or invade the publicity rights or privacy of any person, living or deceased, or otherwise infringe upon any person’s personal or proprietary rights.  Modifying, enhancing or altering a third party’s pre-existing work does not qualify as entrant’s original creation and will result in a disqualified and ineligible entry.  Entries may not be offensive, as determined by the Judges in their sole discretion.  You understand and agree that upon submitting your entry, regardless of whether your submission is selected as a winning entry, that you irrevocably grant to the Sponsor, and those acting within its authority, including The M Foundation, the unrestricted, absolute, perpetual, worldwide right and license to use the Contest entry and, without limitation, any photograph, film, or video or audio tape that may be taken of me in connection with such materials (“Content”), without further compensation, consideration,  notice or permission to me or to any third party, and to reproduce, copy, modify, or create derivative works of, display, perform, exhibit, distribute, transmit or broadcast, publicly or otherwise, or use and permit to be used the Content or any part thereof, whether alone or in combination with other materials in any media now known or hereafter developed (including but not limited to any format of any computer-based, Internet-based, electronic, magnetic, digital, laser or optical-based media), in connection with any advertising, promotional activities or in any other manner whatsoever.    
12. Notice To Entrants. Rules are subject to change. Any changes will be posted on official Contest website. Sponsor also reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to disqualify any entry or any individual who tampers with the entry or voting process, and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest and select winners using all eligible, non-suspect entries and/or votes received as of the date of termination. If the Sponsor determines, in its sole discretion, that technical difficulties or unforeseen events outside Sponsor's control compromise the integrity or viability of the promotion, sponsor reserves the right to void the entries at issue and/or terminate the Contest. In the event of termination, a notice will be posted online and there will be no judging of the entries received. Proof of submitting entries will not be deemed to be proof of receipt by Sponsor. Sponsor reserves the right to prohibit the participation of any individual if the entrant fails to comply with any requirement of participation as stated herein or with any provision in these Official Rules, Terms & Conditions.