Students with knowledge of college could win the ultimate party

TORONTO, Feb. 1, 2012 /CNW/ - A new online contest that tests Ontario high school students' knowledge of college will lead to one school winning a great party this spring.

The contest, Win the Ultimate Party, launched today and quizzes students about the importance of a college education. The high school with the highest percentage of its student body successfully completing the quiz will win a year-end party complete with three DJs (hip hop, house and techno, and electronica), music, food, games and door prizes.

"Students will be eager to take this test," said Linda Franklin, president and CEO of Colleges Ontario, which is running the contest. "The ultimate party is a great prize for the winners."

Colleges Ontario is the advocacy organization for the province's 24 public colleges. The contest is part of the college sector's long-term marketing efforts to encourage parents and students to learn more about college and the careers available to college graduates.

Since 2008, the colleges have been running provincewide advertising campaigns and contests that encourage students to pursue the higher learning that best fits their interests and career goals. Often, that will be one of the more than 600 programs offered at Ontario's 24 public colleges.

The Win the Ultimate Party contest quizzes students on everything from the types of programs available at colleges to the number of graduates produced each year. It includes clues to help students do well on the test and learn more about higher education. The contest runs until March 31.

It's similar to an online contest the colleges ran last year that awarded a concert by Down With Webster to the winning school's spring prom. That contest, which attracted more than 30,000 unique visits to the contest website, was won by Malvern Collegiate in Toronto.

Growing numbers of parents and students are recognizing the important role colleges play in helping people pursue their career goals. Even in this difficult economy, 83 per cent of college graduates find work within six months of graduation, and more than 90 per cent of employers are satisfied with the graduates they hired.

Ontario's colleges have experienced their highest-ever enrolment this year, and the number of university graduates applying to college has increased more than 40 per cent since 2007.

"Parents and students recognize the value of combining theoretical learning and hands-on training through a college education," Franklin said. "This contest will help more students to learn about the wide range of options available to them after high school."

Rob Savage
Director of Communications
Colleges Ontario
647-258-7687
[email protected]