Program Engagement Competition

APTA Virginia is thrilled to announce the launch of a dynamic and exciting competition designed to foster engagement and collaboration between the physical therapy (PT) and physical therapist assistant (PTA) programs within Virginia. This initiative is not just a competition; it's an opportunity to showcase the spirit of camaraderie, innovation, and excellence that defines our profession.
 

The Challenge

Each PT and PTA program is invited to participate in a friendly contest that will measure engagement with APTA Virginia through various activities and contributions. The goal is to strengthen the bonds between our programs and the association, creating a vibrant community that supports and uplifts one another.

The Reward

The stakes are high, and so are the rewards. The program that demonstrates the highest level of engagement will not only earn the coveted title of "Most Engaged Program" but will also receive special recognition and a cash reward that celebrates your commitment and contributions. Specifically, at the annual member’s meeting in 2025, one PT and one PTA program will have the “Golden Gait Belt” bestowed upon them by our future president, Dr. Hawkins. Each winning PT program will receive a $700 check, and each PTA program will receive $300 that can be used to celebrate their achievement.

Why do PT programs get a larger monetary award than PTA programs?
 
The difference in the award amounts is due to the size and structure of the programs. This affects the dollar-per-person ratio. Providing an equal monetary award for each program would result in a significant contrast in the dollar-per-person ratio between PT and PTA program winners. Our goal is to ensure that each program has sufficient funds to celebrate meaningfully if they win. To achieve this, the prize amounts are adjusted to ensure that both PTA and PT programs have adequate celebration funds.

Is there any difference between the Golden Gait Belts?
 
There is no difference in size or quality of either Golden Gait Belts. Both PTA and PT program winners will receive a designated belt, which will be passed on from year to year. Each belt will be marked with the winner and the year to honor their achievement.

The Invitation

We invite each program to join this initiative, to engage in healthy competition, and to take this chance to make a lasting impact on our association and the communities we serve. Your participation is not just about winning; it's about setting an example of what we can achieve when we work together towards a common goal.

Let's come together to celebrate our shared passion for physical therapy, to learn from each other, and to build a stronger, more connected association. We look forward to your enthusiastic participation and to witnessing the incredible feats of engagement that we know you are capable of.

Join us in this journey of collaboration, growth, and celebration. Let the competition begin!

Program Engagement Contest Enrollment Form

Program Engagement Contest (PEC)
Overview of Policies & Procedures

Contest Overview

Enrollment

• Faculty Enrollment: A faculty member must complete the enrollment form to register their program. This form helps us understand the number of students and faculty participating and identify the primary contacts.
• Welcome Email: Upon enrollment, the primary faculty and student contacts will receive a welcome email with a scorecard, a unique Google form link for submissions, and an introduction to the contest.

Participation

• Task Completion: Programs will be assigned tasks to complete. Each task must be documented and submitted via the provided Google form link to earn points. The task may be completed only once and will only be awarded the points listed if completed. For example, Lobby Day requires 1 faculty member and 5 students to attend. While we encourage more faculty and students to attend, the program will not be awarded multiples of points if they send more than what is required.
• Primary Contacts: The primary faculty and student contacts are responsible for coordinating their program’s participation and ensuring tasks are completed and submitted.

Scoring and Leaderboard

• Scorecard: Each program will have a dedicated worksheet in the contest’s Excel workbook, which will be updated by the APTA Student Council Representative.
• Leaderboard Updates: Updates on the leaderboard will be provided at the Leadership Workshop and in the spring edition of the Virginian.

Contest Conclusion

• End Date: The contest concludes on August 31st. Winners will be announced, and the winning programs will be invited to the Fall Summit for the belting ceremony.
• Golden Gait Belt: The winning PT and PTA programs will receive the “Golden Gait Belt.”

Tie Breaker

• First Tie Breaker: If two schools tie, the school that completed the most points the fastest will win.
• Second Tie Breaker: If a tie remains, a coin flip will decide the winner at the annual member’s meeting.

Cheating

• Zero Tolerance: Cheating is not tolerated. Any program caught cheating will forfeit their entry and may re-enter in the next contest season.
• Adjudication: Reports of cheating will be adjudicated by the SRC in consultation with the President or Vice President if necessary.

Photos, Videos, Articles Release

Photos, videos and articles that are submitted as proof of completing a project or submitted as criteria for points being awarded maybe used in our media outlets including, but not limited to social media, mass email, The Virginian, website, or presentations.

Roles and Responsibilities

• To participate in components of the contest to help their program win the award.

• To participate in components of the contest to help their program win the award.
• To be the primary point of contact between APTA and the program. The primary point of contact should be someone on staff who has the bandwidth to interface with APTA should we reach out. We do not recommend this role is assigned to faculty who is the program chair or who is already volunteering with APTA Virginia.
• To be a guide and cheerleader for the students in accomplishing their assigned components of the contest.

• Proactively work with the Primary Student Contact in completing the contest components.

• Complete the assigned google form any time your program completes a task so that you can be awarded the respective points!
• To rally your program to complete the components of the contest. We do NOT recommend or expect that the primary student contact completes all the tasks. This is a joint effort among your classmates and faculty. You are the leader though so be sure to assign tasks and ensure they are completed.
• Your primary student contact cannot be a part of APTA Virgnia Student SIG Board or the APTA Student Council Representative. 

• This person is responsible for reviewing program submissions and applying the points to the score card.
• At the Annual Leadership Workshop, this person provides a report on leader board.
• For the spring edition of the Virginian, this person provides a short article on the contest and an update on the leaderboard. 
• Liaises with the Student Relations Co-chairs about any questions or concerns with contestant submissions.
• Attends the Annual member’s meeting in Oct/Nov for the belting ceremony.