MCHENRY, Ill., Nov. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- With less than six weeks remaining before the entry deadline for the 2012-13 Follett Challenge, organizers have shared some of the "secrets" behind what the six-person panel of judges will be looking for in a winning entry.

The Follett Challenge is an advocacy contest awarding $200,000 worth of Follett products and services to six K-12 schools that are expertly aligning their curriculum to teach 21st century learning skills.  The deadline to enter is Jan. 4.

Follett Challenge judges will be evaluating entries on how they:

• Encourage communication outside the traditional school walls
• Promote collaboration across diverse teams
• Engage critical thinking, decision making and problem solving
• Teach using a variety of media and technology
• Ensure the learning programs are sustainable over time
• Use social collaboration and learning communities
• Measure success
• Increase student motivation
• Meet all of the written and video entry requirements

The 2012-13 Follett Challenge is seeking entries from schools designing 21st century learning programs that develop critical thinking, communication, creativity, and collaboration between students and among educators.

The Follett Challenge is open to all public and private K-12 schools in the United States and Canada.  International schools that meet the criteria for participation are invited to apply as well.  Applicants are asked to submit a three- to five-minute video, as well as provide an overview of the program and how it has impacted student advancement with 21st century skills.

For more information on the Follett Challenge, visit www.follettchallenge.com.

About Follett School and Library Group | www.follett.com

Follett is the largest provider of educational materials and technology solutions to PreK-12 libraries, classrooms, learning centers and school districts in the United States, and a major supplier to educational institutions worldwide. Follett distributes books, reference materials, digital resources, eBooks and audiovisual materials, as well as pre-owned textbooks. Follett also is one of the leading providers of integrated educational technology for the management of physical and digital assets, the tracking, storing and analyzing of academic data, and digital learning environment tools for the classroom focusing on student achievement.

The Follett Challenge was founded in 2011 as a program to encourage educators to be their own best advocates and reward those who are excelling in their roles of preparing students for the skills they need for life.

Find Follett Challenge on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FollettChallenge  

SOURCE Follett