Students, do you have a great idea for a business? Here’s your chance to submit your business idea in our contest. This year, The Miami Herald and the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship are reinstating the student contest as part of the paper’s annual Business Plan Challenge competition.

The contest is open to students in grades 9-12, and contestants must write “student’’ on their business plan entry. Basically the same rules apply as in the adult contest, and they are below. Five judges, all experts in entrepreneurship and selected by NFTE South Florida, will choose one student winner. The winner will be featured in Business Monday and also in a video on MiamiHerald.com.

RULES AND TERMS OF THE STUDENT CONTEST

Entry deadline: Your entry must be postmarked by April 4 or e-mailed by midnight April 5.

Local ties: You must be a student in South Florida (Broward, Miami-Dade, Monroe and Palm Beach counties) in grades 9-12. (college students compete with the adults)

No nonprofits: Your business must be a for-profit business.

No existing franchises. If you've come up with a franchise idea all by yourself, fine; but if you're implementing someone else's franchise plan, it's not eligible.

Mail entries to: The Miami Herald Business Plan Challenge, Fifth Floor, The Miami Herald, 1 Herald Plaza, Miami, FL 33132. E-mail entries to: businesschallenge@MiamiHerald.com

Prizes: The student winner will be featured in a Business Monday cover story May 18 and in a video on MiamiHerald.com. The winner will be invited to a luncheon with The Miami Herald's business editors, reporters and judges.

PREPARING YOUR ENTRY

Keep it short: The business plan must be no more than three typewritten pages, 8.5-by-11 inch paper, but can be one or two pages. You may include one more page of supporting material -- a product picture or diagram, for instance -- if you wish.

Get personal: Tell us a little about yourself and why you would be a good entrepreneur. Tell us about your management team, too, if you would like.

Give specifics: Explain why the world really needs your product or service and what sets it apart from the competition. Make sure you clearly define what your product or service is and how it works.

Include the basics: When preparing your plan, add these details: How much money will you need to get going? What are your potential sources of funding? How much money will you make? When will the product or service be ready for market? How will you brand and market your product or service?

MORE TIPS

Follow the rules: If you send more than a three-page plan with one supplemental page, your plan will be disqualified no matter how wonderful it is. Questions about the rules? E-mail ndahlberg@MiamiHerald.com.

Make copies: We cannot return entries. Include a phone number and address so we can contact you.

Get help: For tips on preparing entries and answers to commonly asked questions, visit MiamiHerald.com/challenge and read future issues of Business Monday where we'll cover such issues as financing and branding.

THE STUDENT CONTEST JUDGES ARE:

This year, The Miami Herald and the National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship are reinstating the student contest as part of the Business Plan Challenge. The contest is open to students in grades 9-12, and contestants must write 'student' on their entry. The same rules for the main contest apply. Judges selected by NFTE South Florida will choose one student winner, who will be featured in Business Monday. The judges are:

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