2007 Real Girl of the Year Award

Celebrating real girls and their brightest moments

2007 Real Girl of the Year Award Frequently Asked Questions

1. How do I enter?: Enter online at www.americangirl.com, and describe, in 500 words or less, your daughter and the community service/volunteer activities she has been involved with during the past 12 months.
2. Who can enter?: Parents (or legal guardians) of girls ages 8-13 who reside in the United States. Sorry, residents of Puerto Rico and U.S. territories are not eligible.
3. Can my daughter enter since she will be the one to enjoy the prizes?: Sorry, but no one under 18 may enter. Only parents (or legal guardians) of girls ages 8-13 may participate in the contest.
4. My daughter is 7 and participates in many meaningful volunteer activities. Can I enter her in the contest?: Sorry, but the age range for the contest corresponds with the age grading on our Girl of the Year products. Safety guidelines state that the dolls and accessories are appropriate for children 8 and up, so we’ve set the age range of the contest accordingly.
5. Do I have to place an order for American Girl merchandise to enter or qualify?: No, a purchase is not required. Placing an order will not improve your chance of winning a prize.
6. When can I enter?: The contest is open between 1/1/07 and 3/31/07.
7. How often can I enter?: The limit is one entry per eligible girl in your household.
8. How will I know if my daughter won?: Winners will be contacted by May 1, 2007, and will be featured on the Web site by June 1, 2007. For a list of winners, please send a self-addressed stamped envelope to Real Girl of the Year 2007 Award, c/o American Girl, P.O. Box 620497, Middleton, WI 53562-0497. Request must be received by July 1, 2007.
9. If she wins, can my daughter donate the $5,000 to a charity of her choice?: No, the $5,000 donation will be made in the winning child’s name to an accredited charity chosen by American Girl that represents the activities of the child.
10. My daughter is home-schooled. If she wins, where would the $5,000 go?: If a winner is home-schooled, the donation will be made to an accredited home school agency selected by American Girl.
11. If I am selected as a grand-prize winner, can I choose which American Girl Place to visit?: No, grand-prize winners will be asked to make a promotional appearance in their honor at an American Girl Place store designated by American Girl. See official rules for travel dates and further details.
12. Why can I only submit online?: To standardize the entries, we require that everyone enter in the same manner online. We’re sorry for any inconvenience.
13. When you say 500 words or fewer, does that include insignificant words, such as “a,” “the,” “and,” and the like?: The entire entry should be no longer than 500 words, which includes all words. The counter that appears beneath the essay field can help you keep track of your essay’s length.