PREPARING PORTFOLIOS

• Each nominee’s portfolio should be enclosed in an official Sterling Scholar Awards portfolio binder supplied to each high school. This type of binder allows the nominee to slip customized artwork into the clear vinyl cover of the binder. The finalists name, school and category need to be on both the front cover and the side panels. Each school should specify one design for the binder for all Sterling Scholar participants.
  
• Nominees are to type their full name on all Sterling Scholar forms just as they wish it to appear in the newspaper and program. For example, please don’t list Mr. and Mrs. Bob Jones, instead use Bob and Sue Jones. Organizers will be sensitive to situations involving divorced or single parent and stepparents. Please make intentions clear.
  
• Portfolios may not contain more than 18 single sheet pages. Clear sheet protectors must be used so that pertinent material may be displayed effectively on both sides. Therefore, if a portfolio contained the maximum number of pages, it would allow 36 “exposures” on the 18 sheets. Please note: English category nominees are allowed four additional single-sided sheets for a total of 40 “exposures.”
  
• We ask nominees to use good judgment when filling out the forms. For example, we don’t want to see one-quarter inch margins and eight point type in order to fit as much on the page as possible. Your focus should be on quality not quantity when answering the questions.
   
• Portfolios are not scrapbooks. Please be selective of material. Portfolios must NOT contain any of the following: heavy cardboard, cloth pages. Please do not include originals of medals and award certificates, a photocopy or scanned copy of these items is recommended. A short narrative explaining what the award is and how it was earned is helpful to the judging process. All pages must be flat, with no layering.

Organize Your Portfolio | Sample Winners Bio