The 2019 Chapter of the Year Contest (COTY) gives chapters an opportunity to be recognized at the national level for their developments, accomplishments, innovations, and activities throughout the year. To participate in the 2019 Chapter of the Year contest and make your entry shine, follow these four easy steps:
- Prepare
Start your preparation by carefully reviewing the contest flyer instructions. Go through the questionnaire and make note of any information or pictures you will need to gather. For example, you may need to research the number of chapter members who served on an APA committee or pull the best photos from your statewide event. Consider working as a team and splitting up tasks or questionnaire sections.
- Create
Once you have all the information and photos you’ll need, start creating your entry using either Microsoft Word or PowerPoint. Ensure that your entry is easy to follow by listing the questions and answers in the same order as the flyer questionnaire. Answer each question completely and provide descriptive details. Adding photos throughout the entry can bring your words to life and show the judges how much you’ve accomplished.
- Review
Before submitting, have multiple people proofread the entry for spelling and grammatical errors. Make sure all the contest guidelines have been followed, all the questions have been answered, and all your accomplishments have been shared. Once your team has agreed on a final draft, save your entry as a PDF file.
- Submit
Chapter of the Year entries are due by February 15, 2019. To submit your entry, go to the Annual Chapter Contest page on the APA website (the upload link will go live on February 1). When uploading your entry, include your name and email address in the note section to receive a confirmation email.
All chapters, big and small, are encouraged to enter the Chapter of the Year contest and receive recognition for their commitment to the payroll community. It's your chapter's opportunity to conduct an annual self-evaluation of its procedures and accomplishments and to set goals for the upcoming year. The winning chapters will be announced on May 15 at the 37th Annual Congress in Long Beach, CA.
Have a question about the COTY Contest? Email ChapterRelations@americanpayroll.org.
