Competitions Coordinator' S Handbook: Last Revision: January 2012

COMPETITIONS
COORDINATOR
S HANDBOOK

Last Revision: January 2012

MIST Toronto 2012/Competitions Coordinators Handbook
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Your Role as a Competitions Coordinator ............................................................................................................................... 4
Commitment Required: ...................................................................................................................................................... 4
Duties: ................................................................................................................................................................................. 4
Qualifications: ..................................................................................................................................................................... 4
Reusme worthy Skills: ......................................................................................................................................................... 4
Email Queries ...................................................................................................................................................................... 5
Google Docs ........................................................................................................................................................................ 5
Recruitment Process for Judges Panels ................................................................................................................................. 6
Appealing to Potential Judges ................................................................................................................................................. 7
The Numbers ........................................................................................................................................................................... 8
How many judges do I need? .............................................................................................................................................. 8
Competitors/Competition ................................................................................................................................................... 9
Populating the Judges Database ........................................................................................................................................... 10
Online Research ................................................................................................................................................................ 10
Networking with other Organizations .............................................................................................................................. 11
Job Postings ....................................................................................................................................................................... 11
Personal Contacts within MIST Dream Team ................................................................................................................... 11
Judges Database from Previous Tournaments (MIST 07-11) .......................................................................................... 11
Application Form on MIST Website .................................................................................................................................. 12
FAQs ..................................................................................................................................................................................... 14
Minimum Qualifications Required for Judges....................................................................................................................... 15
A Note on Muslim/Non-Muslim Judge Preference: .......................................................................................................... 15
Appendix A: Email Templates for Judges .............................................................................................................................. 16
Template 1.1: Invitation Letter ......................................................................................................................................... 17
Template 1.2: Follow-Up Email ......................................................................................................................................... 18
Template 1.3: Confirmation Email .................................................................................................................................... 19
Template 1.4: Introductory Email for (Self-nominated) Applicants................................................................................. 21
Template 1.5: Invitation to Apply for the Judges Panel .................................................................................................... 22
Template 1.6: Conference Call Reminder Email ............................................................................................................... 23
Template 1.7: Reminder Email .......................................................................................................................................... 24
Appendix B: General Recruiting Templates .......................................................................................................................... 25
Template 2.1: Introductory Letter to Organisations ......................................................................................................... 25
Template 2.2: Job Posting for General Audiences ............................................................................................................ 26
Template 2.3: Job Posting for Muslim Audiences ............................................................................................................. 28
Template 2.4: Dream Team Judges Call-Out ..................................................................................................................... 29

YOUR ROLE AS A COMPETITIONS COORDINATOR
COMMITMENT REQUIRED:
1-2 hours/week and about 3-4 hours/week closer to the tournament
Required to attend monthly Dream Team meetings
Required to attend all Competitions meetings
DUTIES:
Develop Competitions Materials as necessary
Recruit high profile judges for various competitions
Recruit MIST Moderators
Provide judges and MIST Moderators with comprehensive training/orientation via conference call
Be educated and aware of all rules and regulations pertaining to the competitions
When applicable, orient participants and ensure all participants are familiar with the rules and regulations of the
competitions
Ensure all ballots and materials necessary for the competition are accurate and prepared well in advance
Work with the Program Chair to make sure all the competitions run smoothly on the days of the tournament
QUALIFICATIONS:
Min. 1 year of MIST experience
Passionate about competitions
Meticulous with an eye for details
High degree of initiative
Ability to work independently as well as within a team
REUSME WORTHY SKILLS:
Interpersonal Skills
O Managing several teams of judges, as well as MIST Moderators
O Handling questions and concerns from competitors
O Mediating competitions-related conflicts in a diplomatic and tactful manner
O Teaching and training judges and MIST moderators
Communication Skills
O Developing writing skills
O Learning to be persuasive and use influence
O Facilitating groups
O Liaising with judges and other contactsGFADFAD
Organisational Skills
O Planning a large-scale event
O Implementing efficiency strategies
Leadership Skills
O Making competitions-related decisions
O Coordinating conference calls and competitions
O Developing a long-term vision
O Identifying needs and gaps
O Evaluating current strategies and processes
O Predicting problems and generating appropriate solutions
Data Management Skills
O Managing records (ex. Judges Database)
O Compiling judges information
EMAIL QUERIES

Competitor questions and concerns will be directed to the competitions@misttoronto.ca, accessible through
misttorontocompetitions@gmail.com (Password: 35culinaryarts).

Each coordinator is responsible for answering the questions for the competitions they have been assigned. The
Programs Chair will filter through these questions and forward them to your personal email account. You will then write
your answer and send it back to the MIST account for it to be forwarded to the competitor.

All emails must be answered within 48 hours.

GOOGLE DOCS

All competition related documents are saved under a shared GoogleDoc folder. All coordinators are expected to keep
up to date with all materials uploaded on this folder.

The Competitions Crew is a team, and every good team works together to support each of its members. It is everyones
responsibility to populate the Judges Database for EVERY competition (i.e. not just the competitions you are assigned
to). If Sr. Zainab is panicking because her two French Oratory substitute judges backed out, we should ALL be panicking.
FBADFSHGA

RECRUITMENT PROCESS FOR JUDGES PANELS

1. Populate Judges'
Database
2. Review Judges'
Database as a Team
3. Send out Invitation
Letters (via email)
4. Recieve
Confirmation
5. Send Confirmation
Email and Judges'
Orientation Packages
6. Recieve Judge's Bio
7. Send Conference
Call Reminder
8. Conference Calls
with Judges' Panels
9. MIST
APPEALING TO POTENTIAL JUDGES
Why would someone want to volunteer as a MIST Judge? MIST is a great opportunity for judges as well, and we need to
sell it to them. Yes, we benefit from them, but they also benefit from us!
T
h
e

A
p
p
e
a
l

Gain experience
Try something new
Help the community
Sow the seeds of future leaders
Interfaith dialogue/interaction
Build personal + professional reputation
Gain exposure for themselves, their business,
organisations...etc.
Networking opportunities
Develop analytical and evaluation skills
Find someone to mentor
Resume- worthy
Encourage creativity
Feels good to volunteer
MIST is a fun event
Free food!
THE NUMBERS
HOW MANY JUDGES DO I NEED?
Every non-bracket competition requires a panel of three confirmed judges, as well as two confirmed substitute judges.
Thus, you MUST have five (5) confirmed judges for every non-bracket competition. This is the minimum, and when
possible aim to have three confirmed substitute judges. When contacting substitute judges, please be explicit in saying
that they will only be judging if a confirmed judge cancels.
For bracket competitions, the number of judges required depends on registration numbers. Based on 2011 numbers, if
we hit ~600 registered competitors, we should expect the following:
MIST Bowl
o 3 judges/game required, with 4 teams in each game
o 132 competitors registered; ~33 teams
o Prelims: 8 games playing simultaneously, so 8*3 = minimum 24 judges required
Debate
o 2 judges/debate; ~30 competitors registered
o 15 debates for 1
st
& 2
nd
preliminaries
o 15*2 = 30 judges required for 1
st
& 2
nd
Preliminaries
o 8 debates for 3
rd
preliminary
o 8*2 = 16 judges required for 3
rd
preliminary
o 2 debates for Semi-final
o 2*2 = 4 judges required for semi-finals
o 1 debate for Final
o 2-3 judges required for finals
Parliamentary Debate
o 2 judges/debate; 18 competitors in teams of 2
o 5 debates for 1
st
& 2
nd
Preliminaries
o 5*2 = 10 judges for preliminaries
o 4 debates in quarter finals
o 4*2 = 8 judges required for quarter finals
o 2 debates in semi-finals
o 2*2 = 4 judges required for semi-finals
o 1 debate in finals
o 2-3 judges required for finals
Math Olympics
o 40 competitors registered
o 4-5 judges

COMPETITORS/COMPETITION
# Competition Name # of Registered
Competitors
Knowledge & Quraan
1 French Knowledge Test 5
2 Memorization** 33
3 Tafseer 22
4 Tajweed** 33
5 Knowledge Test 1 16
Art
9 2D Art 38
10 3D Art 16
11 Digital Art 16
12 Fashion Design 25
13 Website Design 15
14 Photography 38
Writing & Oratory
15 Childrens Book 18
16 Extemp Essay 14
17 Extemp Speaking 17
18 French Oratory 9
19 French Prep. Essay 13
20 Original Oratory 14
21 Poetry: Lit 24
22 Poetry: Spoken Word 32
23 Prep. Essay 28
24 Short Fiction 31
Brackets
25 Debate 29
26 MIST Bowl 132
27 Math Olympics 40
28 Parl. Debate 18
Group Projects
29 Business Venture 25
30 Community Service 23
31 Improv** 101
32 Newsletter 18
33 Scrapbook 18
34 Nasheed/Rap** 70
35 Research Methods 14
36 Short Film 86
**indicates amalgamated brothers/sisters numbers

POPULATING THE JUDGES DATABASE
There are so many ways of brainstorming who would make an awesome judge, and then reaching out to these potential
judges. So how do you populate the Judges Database? Take a look below:

ONLINE RESEARCH
This is one of the best sources in terms of building professional contacts. Oftentimes, people are interested getting
involved with an organisation like MIST, but they simply dont know that it exists! Its always worth contacting them,
and thanks to the internet, this is a lot easier to do!

There are two main ways of doing online research for potential judges:
1) LinkedIn, facebook and even general Google searches usually turn up a good number of contacts. Browse through
profiles, and you may be surprised to learn that youve got your ideal judge right in front of you. For example, if Im
looking for a Brothers Tajweed judge, I might enter the following in the search bar: Toronto AND imam AND young.

2) Check out the speakers/facilitators lists at other similar events. Because the audience for these events are similar to
a MIST audience, theres a strong chance that youd be able to find your ideal judge through browsing their programme
schedule and speakers/facilitators lists. Be creative in thinking about possible research sources.
o Ex. Muslim-centric events: Islamic conferences, MuslimFest, Muslim Daysetc.
o Ex. General events: TED, Me to We, other youth-centric events

Personal
Contacts within
MIST Dream
Team
Application Form
on MIST website
Networking Job Postings
Online Research
Judges Databases
from Previous
Tournaments
(MIST '07-'11)
NETWORKING WITH OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
Template 1.1: Introductory Letter to Organisations
On the Judges Database, youll notice that the last tab is Organisations. The idea is that we create a mega list of all
organizations that we think might have members interested in judging at MIST. For example, this can include
community service organisations, such as CAMP, as well as more informal groups such as University debate clubs. We
modify the Introductory Letter to Organisations template, catering the language and content to that specific
organization, and send it out to them along with a link to the Judges Application Form on the MIST Toronto website.

If possible, you arrange for a conversation between that organisations representative and yourself. The purpose of this
conversation is to explore the best ways of recruiting judges.
JOB POSTINGS
Template 1.2: Job Posting for General Audiences
We will also be recruiting judges through volunteer job postings on a number of well-known websites. Postings will be
tracked on the Judges Database under the Postings tab. These postings closely follow Template 1.2, Job Posting for
General Audiences. Any modifications to this template should be minor.
Some of the websites that we will be advertising on include: CharityVillage.ca; Indeed.ca; FPYN.ca; VolunteerToronto.ca;
Toronto-Charities.ca.

Template 1.3: Job Posting for Muslim Audiences
This template is very similar to Template 1.2: Job Posting for General Audiences. Changes are made to reflect the Islamic
element which may appeal to potential Muslim volunteers.
Some of the websites that we will be advertising on include: TorontoMuslims.com....

PERSONAL CONTACTS WITHIN MIST DREAM TEAM
Template 1.4: Dream Team Judges Call-Out
Allhumdulilah, were well connected at MIST Toronto and our Dream Team GoogleGroup is a wonderful tool. Well be
using the GoogleGroup to recruit judges suggested by our team members. Our initial message will be a general call-out
outlined in Template 1.4, accompanied by an online Nomination Form. As we get closer to the tournament date, you can
also send out short individualised messages for specific competitions. For example: I need a parliamentary debate
judge for Saturday, 10AM. Any suggestions?

And dont forget to take a look at the people you personally know. Your personal network is often much larger than you
think it is, and even though you may not know someone directly (ex. They may be you sister-in-laws friends brother),
its a great opportunity to connect with them.

JUDGES DATABASE FROM PREVIOUS TOURNAMENTS (MIST 07-11)
TIP!
Talk about MIST to as many people as possible. The most effective form of marketing is through
word of mouth (not TV commercials, billboards or magazine adverts), so get chatting! You may
think that youre being annoying, but most people are very receptive to learning more about MIST.
You never know who you may come upon: the next first place individual winner, a volunteer willing
to bring in a team of 20 people to MIST or even a high-profile judge!

Judges Databases from previous years can be a rich source of information. However, you MUST be very careful about
these contacts. In previous years, weve had trouble with both the quality of judges, as well as the professionalism they
have displayed. Some of these judges were not qualified to judge their competitions, and others were students in their
freshmen year. Some judges have even acted inappropriately, which explains why they have a DO NOT INVITE label
next to their name.
This year, our goal is to run a professional tournament, and this is the reason why we have created detailed criteria for
selecting judges (see: Minimum Qualifications Required to Judge). This means that many of the judges that we have
invited in the past may not meet the criteria weve set out for this year.
However, if you notice names of individuals you believe would make high-quality, professional judges, feel free to add
them to the Judges Database. Before sending out any invitations though, you must consult with the Competitions Crew
at one of our regular meetings. If youre not able to consult with the Competitions Crew, always, check with MIST Execs
before sending out invitations.
APPLICATION FORM ON MIST WEBSITE
The application form below is live on the MIST Toronto website, www.misttoronto.ca. It serves two purposes:
(1) Allows people who are already familiar with MIST to express their interest in volunteering as a judge and
(2) Acts as a funnel to receive more detailed information from those who saw job postings or other external adverts.

Thanks for your interest in judging at MIST Toronto! Please fill out the form below so that we can best match your skills and interests with an appropriate
category and competition. Be sure to click Submit Form once you have finished filling out the form. Well be in touch with you soon!


FAQS
Im having trouble getting judges for some of the non-conventional competitions. For example for scrapbook, do I
really need to find someone who specializes in art or can it be someone with a little experience?
If youre having trouble, you probably need to broaden your horizons and think outside the box. Sometimes, its easy to
get stuck and think only about the minimum qualifications. In this case, consider approaching one of Torontos many
scrapbooking clubs, scrapbooking stores and businesses and even browsing through the blogging world. Remember that
judges do not have to be Muslim.

Can I approach a potential judge informally if I am introduced to them at another event?
Yes, of course. This is often the best way of introducing them to MIST. In these types of situations, try your best to get a
potential judges contact information, and follow up with them in 2-3 days. When meeting any potential judges, always
give out a MIST business card with your personal contact information.

Ive found someone who would be great for judging x competition. But I dont have any contact information. Is this a
dead end?
Not at all. Theres always the possibility that the six degrees of connection theory might come in handy. Write down
whatever information you have in the Judges Database for now. Once we have a complete list of potential judges
without contact information, well send out a message to the Dream Team. InshAllah, someone knows someone who
knows someone whos the person you want!

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUI RED FOR JUDGES
The following is a list of minimum qualifications for judges, based on the type of competition. Ideally, we want all of
our judges to fit the primary criteria (marked 1 below).
For example, for the Business Case competition (an academic competition), the ideal judges panel would be
professional entrepreneurs/business professors who have over five years of experience in the business field and live
within the GTA. If we are unable to recruit someone who fits this qualification, then we move onto our secondary
criteria: a professional entrepreneur/business profession with more than five years experience in the business field
and living outside of the GTA. This trend continues with the tertiary (professional starting in the field), and
quaternary (grad student in the field) criteria.

Academic Related Competitions:
1) Professional in the Field (+5 yrs experience) who live within the GTA
2) Professional in the Field (+5 yrs experience) who is a non-local
3) Professional Starting in the field (little experience)
4) Grad student in the field

Art-Related Competitions:
1) Professional Artist (+5 yrs experience) who lives within the GTA
2) Professional Artist (+5 yrs experience) who is a non-local
3) Professional Artist (little experience)
4) Competition-Related Professional (Ex. art teacher)

Tafseer, Tajweed & Memorization Competitions:
1) Have ijazaa and are considered to be Islamic Scholars by the community

Debate Competitions:
1) Lawyers or individuals with extensive experience with debating (for all semi-final and finals brackets)
2) Graduate or upper year (3
rd
or 4
th
year) university students with experience debating. I.e. they are members
of a university debating club.
3) University students with a passion for debates and studying in a related field (ex. polisci, law, social sciences,
language...etc.)

A NOTE ON MUSLIM/NON-MUSLIM JUDGE PREFERENCE:
As part of our goal for running a more professional tournament this year, our judges panel must consist of professionals
and those who fit our primary criteria. This means that we have no preference for a Muslim judge over a non-Muslim
judge; rather we choose whoever fits our primary criteria better.
Ex. If I am recruiting someone for the Scrapbook Competition Judges Panel, I would consult the Art-Related Competitions
Criteria. This tells me that my ideal judge would have five or more years experience with scrapbooking, and is someone
who lives within the GTA. They might be someone who leads a scrapbooking club, gives scrapbooking classes or owns a
scrapbooking supply store.

Note:
Primary Criteria = 1
Secondary Criteria = 2
Tertiary Criteria = 3
Quaternary Criteria = 4

Where,
1>2>3>4

APPENDIX A: EMAIL TEMPLATES FOR JUDGES
The following templates are for you to use when communicating with judges.

Some Reminders:
1. Whenever contacting judges, always make sure that MIST is included in the subject heading. The last thing you
want is your emails ending up in their spam.
2. Keep your messages as succinct as possible.
3. NEVER, EVER tell a judge the exact start time for a competition. Theyll show up late, and youll be going crazy. If they
keep asking you, just reply that All judges are expected to arrive by *1hr prior to competition start time+.
3. Always double-check your emails before sending them out! Its easy to make dumb mistakes when youre
copy+pasting lots of text. Common mistakes:
Addressing a Brother as Sister and vice versa
Spelling a judges name wrong
Writing down the wrong competition name
Forgetting to attach documents
Giving out wrong website links
This can be VERY confusing for judges, so always double and triple-check your emails before you hit send!

4. For non-Muslim judges, replace Islamic terms with something more neutral:
Assalaamualaikum = Greetings/Hello/Dear
InshaAllah = God Willing
JazakAllah Khair = Many thanks

TEMPLATE 1.1: INVITATION LETTER
Purpose: For most judges, this is the initial point of contact with MIST. This template is to be used for all approved
judges who have met the criteria. Do NOT send this to self-nominated judges (Use template 1.3 instead).
Subject: Invitation to Judge at MIST Toronto 2012

Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu,
I hope this reaches you in the best of health and iman, inshAllah. I got your contact from [name] who is one of the
organizers of Muslim Inter-Scholastic Tournament (MIST) Toronto. On behalf of MIST Toronto, I would like to officially
invite you to be a Judge on our panel.
The MIST mission is to bring high school students together from around the nation to develop leadership, promote
communication, and inspire creativity while gaining a deeper understanding of Islam and Muslims. We do this through
our annual regional and national tournaments. We believe that active high school students become active college
students. Active college students become active adults within their community. We are dedicated to empowering high
school students to be motivated and active within their community. By giving high school students a venue to excel in
the arts, sciences, and humanities, they grow up knowing not only that they can be important members of their various
communities, but important contributors.

MIST Toronto is taking place at York University on March 10 and 11 2012. Each year, the tournament focuses on a single
theme that is carried throughout all the competitions. This year, the theme is Family: Reconnecting Our Hearts to
Home.
I invite you to take a look around the official MIST Toronto website: www.misttoronto.ca where you can read more
about our theme and the history of MIST. You can also take a look at the competition(s) that you will be judging: [insert
link to specific competition page on MIST Toronto website]
You have been invited to Judge for: [competition name]
The time commitment associated with this position is approximately [n] number of hours. If you have any questions,
concerns or suggestions, please feel free to contact me: [insert number] or [insert email].

I sincerely hope you'll consider this opportunity! It would be an honour to have you on our judging panel.
If you are interested in judging at MIST 2012, please confirm with me by [one wk deadling].

Jazakallah khayr,
[Your name]
Competitions Coordinator,
MIST Toronto 2012
www.misttoronto.ca
[Email address]
[Phone #- optional]

TEMPLATE 1.2: FOLLOW-UP EMAIL

Purpose: If youve already sent out an Invitation Letter (Template 1.1) and havent heard back from a potential judge
within five (5) days, then you must follow up with a second email. If you still dont receive a response, its time to move
on to recruiting other judges.

Subject: MIST Judging Invitation Follow-Up

Assalaamualaikum [Judges Name],

I hope this message finds you well.

I just wanted to follow up about an invitation to judge the [Name of Competition] at the Muslim Inter Scholastic
Tournament. [Name of Nominee] recommended you as a judge and given your qualifications, we believe that you are a
good choice for judging this competition. Please let me know at your earliest convenience if you are able to commit
approximately four hours on [March 10
th
or March 11th]. We would be honoured to have you on our judges panel and
look forward to hearing from you soon.

JazakAllah Khair,

[Your name]
MIST Toronto 2012
www.misttoronto.ca
[Email address]
[Phone #- optional]

TEMPLATE 1.3: CONFIRMATION EMAIL

Purpose: To send confirmation and provide detailed information about judging at MIST Toronto. After sending this
email, please also send out the Judges Information Form immediately. This email is sent to all judges, regardless of
whether they are invited or self-nominated.

How to send out the Judges Information Form:
- Sign in to your google docs page (http://docs.google.com)
- Select the Competitions Crew 2012 Docs Folder
- Open MIST Toronto 2012 Judges Information Form
- Click Form on the upper left hand corner, and select Send Form
- In the pop-up window, enter the judges email address and ensure that the checkbox for Include Form in the Email is
checked. Click Send.

If after the one week deadline, the judge has not filled out the form, please send them a reminder ASAP.

Subject: MIST Toronto - Confirmation Message & Training Information
Attachments: (1)2k12 Organizers & Judges Guide; (2) 2k12 Rulebook; (3) MIST 2010 Judges Booklet; (4) MIST General
Guidelines

Assalaamualaikum [Judges Name],

Allhumdulilah, we're glad to have you on board as a member of our Judges Panel for [Name of Competition]! I have
written you down as a confirmed judge, and this email contains important details that you need to know as a MIST
judge.

If for whatever reason you care unable to judge this competition, please notify me as soon as possible. You may contact
me via email before February 29
th
and by phone at [Your cell #] after this date.

For Your Information:
Day to Judge: [Sunday, May 23
rd
]
Time Slot: [45 min. Orientation + Competition Slot, so if Oratory is from 2-4pm, I would write 1.15-4PM in this space.]
Expected Arrival Time: [15 mins. prior to Orientation start time, ex. 1:00 pm using the example above]
Where: York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON. M3J 1P3]
Dress: Business (preferable) or business casual.

Training Information
The Judges Conference Call is a vital component of your role as a MIST Judge. The Conference Call will take place one
week prior to the Tournament, and all judges are expected to have reviewed the Rules and Ballots for their competition
(see: 2k12 Rulebook) as well as the Judges Guide well in advance. While reviewing these documents, please make a
note of any questions or concerns you may have. During this one hour conference call, a Competitions Coordinator will
provide orientation and training related specifically to your competition. She will also answer any questions you have
and provide clarification. Please note that at MIST 2012, there will be no orientation or training on Tournament days,
and as such, it is imperative that all judges attend the conference call.

The Conference Call for [name of competition] will take place on:
Date: [Sunday, March 4]
Time: [4-5pm]

Judges Information Form
We also require some further information from all of our judges. One of these pieces of information is a brief biography
that will be published as a Judges Profile. This allows competitors, parents and other MIST audiences to learn more
about our judges qualifications and backgrounds. It is also an excellent opportunity for gaining exposure and
networking with other professionals. I have attached a copy of the 2010 Judges Booklet for your reference.
I will be sending you this short form in a separate email. Please have it completed by [one wk deadline].
If there's anything I can do for you in the days leading up to the tournament or on the days of the tournament, please do
not hesitate to let me know. May Allah SWT reward you immensely for volunteering your time and energy for MIST
Toronto 2012.

[Your name]
MIST Toronto 2012
www.misttoronto.ca
[Email address]
[Phone #- mandatory]

TEMPLATE 1.4: INTRODUCTORY EMAIL FOR (SELF-NOMINATED) APPLICANTS
Purpose: This message is to be sent out to all approved judges whos contact information we initially received through
the MIST Websites Judges Application Form. They are described as Self-Nominated on the Judges Database.

Subject: Judging @ MIST Toronto

Assaalaamualaikum!
I hope this message find you well. On behalf of the MIST Toronto Team, Id like to thank you for your interest in judging
at MIST this year. Were pleased to tell you that you have been selected to judge:
[name of competition]
The MIST mission is to bring high school students together from around the nation to develop leadership, promote
communication, and inspire creativity while gaining a deeper understanding of Islam and Muslims. We do this through
our annual regional and national tournaments. We believe that active high school students become active college
students. Active college students become active adults within their community. We are dedicated to empowering high
school students to be motivated and active within their community. By giving high school students a venue to excel in
the arts, sciences, and humanities, they grow up knowing not only that they can be important members of their various
communities, but important contributors.
MIST Toronto is taking place at York University on March 10 and 11 2012. Each year, the tournament focuses on a single
theme that is carried throughout all the competitions. This year, the theme is Family: Reconnecting Our Hearts to
Home. I invite you to take a look at the MIST Toronto website and learn more about the competition you have been
invited to judge: [insert link to specific competition page on MIST Toronto website]
The time commitment associated with this position is approximately [4-5] hours. If you have any questions, concerns or
suggestions, please feel free to contact me: [insert number] or [insert email].
We would be honoured to have you on our judges panel and look forward to working with you. Please confirm with me
by [one wk deadline] if you are able to make this commitment.
JazakAllah Khair,
[Your name]
MIST Toronto 2012
www.misttoronto.ca
[Email address]

TEMPLATE 1.5: INVITATION TO APPLY FOR THE JUDGES PANEL

Purpose: This template is to be used to reach out to contacts whose credentials and qualifications you may be unaware
of. Because of this, these contacts may or may not meet the criteria for judges, and referring them to the Application
Form is a good way of eliciting this information.

Subject: Invitation to Apply for the MIST 2012 Judges Panel

Assalaamualaikum [Person to whom it concerns]

The competitions team for the Muslim Interscholastic Tournament (MIST) Toronto is looking for potential judges for our
2012 Tournament that is being held from March 10th-11th.

MIST is an educational, interactive program of competitions and workshops geared towards bringing high school
students together from around the nation to develop leadership, communication, and other creative skills, all while
gaining a deeper understanding of Islam and Muslims.

It has come to the attention of our team that you are in the field of [insert field] and we would like to invite you to apply
for the role of Judge for [insert competition.] Judges are volunteers that have duties which include being present on the
day of their competition for an allotted time, providing feedback to competitors and filling out ballots that determine 1
st
,
2
nd
and 3
rd
places in competitions.

MIST is a medium for professionals to network, advertise and gain a better sense of community. We would be honoured
to consider you as a judge. Please fill out the Judges Application form on our website by [one wk deadline.] We look
forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

[Your name]
MIST Toronto 2012
www.misttoronto.ca
[email address]
[phone #- optional]

TEMPLATE 1.6: CONFERENCE CALL REMINDER EMAIL

Purpose: A reminder message is to be sent out to all confirmed judges before the conference call. This means that this
message must be sent out 5 days before the Conference Call..

Subject: MIST Conference Call Reminder
Attachments: (1)2k12 Organizers & Judges Guide; (2) 2k12 Rulebook

Assalaamualaikum,

I hope this message finds you well. This is a quick reminder about our upcoming MIST Conference Call. This call is a vital
component of your role as a MIST Judge and all judges are expected to attend.

The Conference Call for [name of competition] will take place on:
Date: [Sunday, March 4]
Time: [4-5pm]

If you have not already done so, please review the Rules and Ballots for your competition (see: 2k12 Rulebook) as well as
the Judges Guide. While reviewing these documents, please make a note of any questions or concerns you may have.

During this one hour conference call, I will provide orientation and training related specifically to your competition. I will
also answer any questions you have and provide clarification. Please note that at MIST 2012, there will be no orientation
or training on Tournament days, and as such, it is imperative that all judges attend the conference call.

Please do not hesitate to give me a call if you have any questions or comments.

[Your name]
MIST Toronto 2012
www.misttoronto.ca
[Email address]

TEMPLATE 1.7: REMINDER EMAIL

Purpose: A reminder message is to be sent out to all confirmed judges after the conference call, but before the
Tournament. This means that this message must be sent out on the Monday or Tuesday before the Tournament
weekend.

Subject: Important MIST Reminders for all Judges
Attachments: (1) Map of YorkU, (2) Directions

Assalaamualaikum,

I hope this message finds you well. This message includes some important reminders related to the upcoming
Tournament.

Day to Judge: [Sunday, May 23
rd
]
Time Slot: [45 mins Orientation + Competition Slot, so if Oratory is from 2-4pm, I would write 1:15-4PM in this space.]
Expected Arrival Time: [15 mins. prior to Orientation start time, ex. 1.00pm using the example above]
Where: York University, 4700 Keele Street, Toronto, ON. M3J 1P3
Dress: Business (preferable) or business casual.

As you may have noticed, we have a tight Tournament schedule and this makes it very important that all judges arrive
on time. If you are running late due to an unanticipated event, please give me a quick phone call as soon as possible. Ive
attached a map of the University campus as well as directions for your convenience. Upon arrival at Vari Hall, please
make your way to the Information Desk where an attendant will direct you to the Judges Room.

Please do not hesitate to give me a call if you have any questions or comments.

We look forward to seeing you at MIST 2012!

[Your name]
MIST Toronto 2012
www.misttoronto.ca
[Email address]

APPENDIX B: GENERAL RECRUITING TEMPLATES

TEMPLATE 2.1: INTRODUCTORY LETTER TO ORGANISATIONS

Subject: Competitive Event Judges Wanted for MIST 2012
Assalaamualaikum,
I hope this message find you well. My name is [name+ and Im contacting you on behalf of MIST Toronto.
MIST (Muslim Interscholastic Tournament) is an educational, interactive program of competitions and workshops geared
towards bringing high school students together from around the nation to develop leadership, communication, and
other creative skills, all while gaining a deeper understanding of Islam and Muslims.
We feel that [Name of their Organisation] has similar values and ideals, and would like to propose collaboration
between our two organisations. We are currently recruiting competitive events judges for our March 10
th
and 11
th

Tournament and we believe that members of your organization may be interested in this role. Were hoping that you
may be able to share this news with your members.
If youre able to forward the message below to your members, it would be much appreciated.
Many thanks,
[Your name]
MIST Toronto 2012
www.misttoronto.ca
[Email address]
---------------------------------------------------------
MIST Toronto is recruiting judges for the 2012 Tournament from March 10
th
& 11th. If you are professional looking for
ways to network, advertise, or even just to help out the Muslim youth, MIST would be perfect for you. Judges are on a
volunteer basis and are responsible for 1) being present for the specific competition they are assigned to, 2) providing
feedback to the competitors 3) filling out a ballot which will be used to determine 1
st
, 2
nd
and 3
rd
places in competitions.
Judges are expected to be professional and punctual in order to set a good example for the competitors.
If youre interested in joining our dynamic team of volunteers, please submit your application form and resume at
www.misttoronto.ca, under the Get Involved tab.

Deadline: February 29th 2012

TEMPLATE 2.2: JOB POSTING FOR GENERAL AUDIENCES

POSITION: Competitive Event Judge
MIST Toronto is now actively recruiting professionals to serve as competitive event judges for the 2012 Regional
Tournament. With over 35 different competitions across five categories, were looking for professionals in a wide
variety of fields including: business, law, journalism, creative writing, culinary arts, and the arts and sciences, amongst
many, many others. At MIST, theres a competition for everyone!

By volunteering your time, and sharing your knowledge and expertise, youre helping create a meaningful experience for
over 600 high school students. MIST provides students the opportunity to showcase their talents in the arts, sciences,
and the humanities, allowing them to grow, develop leadership skills and become active contributors to their
communities. As a judge, not only do you have the opportunity to directly contribute to nurturing the leaders of
tomorrow, you also have the opportunity to:
- Share your knowledge and experience with todays youth
- Gain valuable experience
- Develop analytical and evaluation skills
- Discover networking opportunities

This years Regional Tournament will take place on Saturday, March 10th and Sunday, March 11th 2012 in Toronto.

Job Description
The Competition Judge is a member of a three-person Judging Panel that evaluates competitors submissions and/or
presentations and provides valuable feedback on their work. This is a volunteer position requiring approximately 4-5
hours of work.

Judges are needed for the following competition categories: (I) Knowledge & Quran; (II) Arts; (III) Writing & Oratory; (IV)
Brackets; and (V) Group Projects. For a complete list of all competitions, please visit our website.

Key Responsibilities:
- Accept and work within the framework of the Organisations stated vision, mission, values, goals and any relevant
policies
- Participate in mandatory training sessions and conference calls
- Develop a comprehensive understanding of all relevant competition materials, including rules, procedures, scoring and
the judging process
- Display a high degree of initiative and professionalism. This includes elements such as responsibility, respect, and
punctuality
- Be approachable and friendly towards competitors
- Perform all judging duties impartially and with a balanced attitude
- Critique and rate submissions and/or presentations
- Provide constructive feedback
- Contribute to the smooth running of the competition
- Work collaboratively with organizers and other judges

Qualifications:
- Minimum 2-5 years experience in a relevant field
- Strong verbal and written communication skills in English and/or French
- Experience working with youth (preferred)
- No prior judging experience required

If youre interested in joining our dynamic team of volunteers, please submit your application form and resume at
www.misttoronto.ca, under the Get Involved tab.

Deadline: February 29th 2012

TEMPLATE 2.3: JOB POSTING FOR MUSLIM AUDIENCES

MIST TORONTO
www.misttoronto.ca

The Muslim Inter-Scholastic Tournament (MIST) is a fun, educational, interactive program of competitions and
workshops geared towards bringing high school students together from around the nation to develop leadership,
communication, and other creative skills, all while gaining a deeper understanding of Islam and Muslims. The
tournament currently features over 35 different competitions, all of which are judged by qualified and skilled
professionals that we are currently recruiting.

DATE: March 11 & 12
LOCATION: York University

JOB DESCRIPTION:
Attend mandatory prep meetings before the date of the tournament
Review and follow the code of conduct given to you in judges package
Commit a minimum of 4 hours to overall program

DUTIES INCLUDE:
Being present at designated competition
Providing appropriate feedback
Judge, critique, and provide constructive criticism where applicable (i.e. submissions, projects, art work, etc.)
Familiarize yourself with the rules and scoring method of your assigned competition. These will be included in
the judges package.
Be approachable and friendly to competitors and volunteers

APPLICATION DEADLINE: Feb. 29th

TEMPLATE 2.4: DREAM TEAM JUDGES CALL-OUT

Asalamualaikum previous MIST Dream Team members,

We are currently recruiting judges for MIST 2012 and would really appreciate it if you could suggest any potential judges
you may know for any MIST category. We wanted to ask previous members of the dream team because you have
experience with the previous years and have experience finding judges and deciding who is/isnt qualified. So any help
you can offer would be greatly appreciated!

[Insert the blurb below]

Assalaamualaikum Dream Team!
The Competitions Team is now recruiting judges and we've created a Nomination Form (link) for you all to make
suggestions.
We will be flexible with the criteria, so feel free to be creative with your suggestions. Also, please keep in mind that we
will be filtering through these nominations and your nominee may or may not be contacted.
Basic Criteria:
- Min. 2-5 years experience in a relevant field
- Strong verbal and written communication skills in English and/or French
- Experience working with youth (optional)
- No prior judging experience required
For Tafseer, Tajweed & Memorization Competitions:
- must have ijazaa
- considered to be Islamic Scholars by the community
Muslim/Non-Muslim Judge Preference:
As part of our goal for running a more professional tournament this year, this year our ideal judges panel will consist of
professionals. This means that we have no preference for a Muslim judge over a non-Muslim judge (for non-Islamic
competitions); rather we choose whoever fits our primary criteria better.
If you have any questions or comments, let us know. :)
The MIST 2012 Competitions Crew

Competitions Coordinator' S Handbook: Last Revision: January 2012

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