Congratulations to the following essay winners. Click on their name to read their entries.

First Place: Deanna Colasurdo from Morristown (N.J.) High School
Second Place: Cassandra Nicole Austin from Carmel (Ind.) High School
Third Place (two winners): Carole Jacobs from Loara High School in Anaheim, Calif. and Michelle F. Dinesen from Yellow Medicine East High School in Granite Falls, Minn.

Fame the movie is a reinvention of the original Oscar®-winning (Best Music, Original Song and Score) hit film Fame, which follows a talented group of dancers, singers, actors and artists over four years at the New York City High School of Performing Arts, a diverse, creative powerhouse where students from all walks of life are given a chance to live out their dreams and achieve real and lasting fame ... the kind that comes only from talent, dedication and hard work.

The movie opens on Sept. 25, but Halftime Magazine^® and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios are giving you the opportunity to win* a private screening of the movie before it opens!

Calling All Marching Band Students, Ages 14 and Up:

Claim your FAME by answering the question: “How does being in a marching band inspire you in your life?”

Send your Essay (500-word maximum) answering the question above and the completed Entry Form including your full name, email address, date of birth, telephone number (with area code), school name and band name to ClaimYourFame@halftimemag.com.

Or mail your entry, consisting of your Essay and original, completed Entry Form to the following address:

Halftime Magazine
Claim Your FAME Promotion
P.O. Box 661355
Los Angeles, CA 90066

The Promotion begins at 5:00:00 a.m. Pacific Time (“PT”) on June 15, 2009, and ends at 5:00:00 p.m. PT on Aug. 10, 2009, (the “Promotion Period”). E-mailed entries must be received during the Promotion Period. Mail-in entries must be postmarked no later than Aug. 10, 2009, and received by the Sponsors no later than Aug. 15, 2009.

Download Entry Form
Download Full Official Rules

Grand Prize Winner will receive:

• A private screening of FAME
• One-year group subscription (10 copies of 6 issues) of Halftime Magazine^®
• Other Fame prizes.

Second Prize Winner will receive:

• The Fame soundtrack
• Fame t-shirt
• Digital music sheet of the Fame Theme Song
• Fame poster
• One-year individual subscription (6 issues) of Halftime Magazine^®

Two (2) Third Prize Winners will receive:

• The Fame soundtrack
• Fame poster
• One-year individual subscription (6 issues) of Halftime Magazine^®.
  

Visit generationfame.com for more information about the movie, and join the WALL OF FAME!

Announcing Our Judges

Chris Casteel has been involved in the marching band activity since 1981 as a color guard performer and instructor.  As a performer, she marched in the 1984 Summer Olympics. As an instructor, she has worked with several medaling guards in the Winter Guard Association of Southern California (WGASC). She has also been an adjudicator for the Southern California Band and Orchestra Association (SCSBOA) and the WGASC for nearly 7 years.  In addition, she has held the position of Education Coordinator for the WGASC since 2008 where she authors several educational articles. Casteel’s articles also appear on the colorguardeducators.com website.  Currently, Casteel is a full-time middle school teacher who specializes in Language Arts /Writing.

Christine Ngeo Katzman is the CEO, founder and publisher of Halftime Magazine^®. She has played the flute since the age of 8. She marched in the Northwestern University Marching Band, including the 1996 Rose Bowl and 1997 Citrus Bowl. She graduated cum laude from Northwestern with a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1997 and earned her MBA with honors from the University of Southern California in May 2007. She has worked in the publishing industry as a writer and editor and helped launch Play Music, a magazine for recreational musicians, sponsored by American Music Group (now Music and Arts Center). In the summer of 2006, Christine worked at Yamaha Corporation of America.

Gregory M. Kuzma, who simply goes by GM, brings much experience from his 15 years of involvement in the performing arts activity. Along with his time as a performer at the junior and senior corps levels, he has also served in various roles as a marching visual instructor, driver, cook, tour manager and corps director. He has authored a memoir about his experiences as a member of the Blue Knights Drum and Bugle Corps. Along with being a consultant for the performing arts, GM is also a marching band clinician and visual judge with the Central States Judges Association. GM was recently selected for Cambridge Who's Who Registry Among Executives and Professionals for 2008/2009.

Ken Martinson is a lifelong advocate of marching bands and is founder of the website Marching.com. He has brought a passionate and positive voice to his roles as instructor, event coordinator, performer and judge. He continues to promote the marching activity and has built friendships with marching-related individuals and organizations across the United States and around the world.

* NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. Begins at 5:00:00 a.m. PT on 06/15/09 and ends at 5:00:00 p.m. PT on 08/10/09. Open to legal residents of any 1 of the 50 United States or District of Columbia who are at least 14 years old and a member of the marching band for his/her school for the 2009-2010 school year. Void where prohibited. SUBJECT TO FULL OFFICIAL RULES. Essays will be judged by the following criteria using the listed weights: (1) relevance to question (25%); (2) creativity and inspiration (50%); and (3) proper use of English grammar rules (25%). Limit of 1 entry per person may be submitted for the entire promotion, regardless of entry method. Grand prize winner must be able to attend private screening on Sponsor-selected date and Sponsor-selected theatre or prize may be forfeited. Grand Prize ARV: $1639.50; Second Prize ARV: $54.95; ARV of each Third Prize: $49.50. Total ARV of all prizes: $1743.95. Sponsors: Halftime Magazine^®, P.O.  Box 661355, Los Angeles, California, 90066, and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., 10250 Constellation Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90067.

All Fame and MGM elements, TM & © 2009 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.