I. Taiwanese American Friendship
Ambassador (TAFA) Candidate Qualifications:
(1). Female, single, 18-to 35-years old, residing in approximately
100-mile radius of DC, of Taiwan origin (including 1st,
2nd and 3rd generations; for the 2nd or 3rd generation, both parents or either father or
mother side are of Taiwan origin; or her parents
are residing within approximately a 100-mile radius of D.C.). Identifies herself
as a Taiwanese and/or Taiwanese American (TA), and is interested in promoting TA’s identity and visibility, Taiwan’s
democracy, and enhancing the US—Taiwan friendship in mainstream America.
(2). Involvement in community (including school) activities, community
service, performance, public addresses/speeches, and/or achievements, talents, etc.
II.
TAFA
Candidate Registration:
(1). Please register by e-mail, with the attached
Appendix A: TAFA Candidate Registration Form. The “TAFA Candidate Registration
Form” shall be submitted on or before February 13 (Sunday), 2005 through e-mail: TAFA_pageant@yahoo.com.
(2). Registration and participation in the TAFA Pageant Night will constitute the agreement of the applicant
to abide by all the rules and obligations as stated herein, including the information/requirements stated in the TAFA Candidate
Registration Form.
III.
TAFA
Preliminary Selection:
(1). Preliminary Screening: A Preliminary Screening five- (5-)
judge panel will review the registration information to pre-select 5 to 10 semi-finalists, depending on the total number of
registered applicants and their qualifications. The results will be announced
by February 19,
2005.
The TAFA Candidate Registration Form includes the percentage point (totally 100 points) breakdown of Items 11 through
16.
(2). Personal interview: If more than 6 candidates are selected
as semi-finalists during the preliminary screening, a personal interview may be required to further reduce the number of semi-finalists
to 6 for the TAFA Pageant Night. Notification of a personal interview will be
sent on February 19, 2005, and the interviews are scheduled
to be held on February 26 (Saturday), 2005.
IV.
TAFA
Pageant Night:
(1). The TAFA
Pageant Night will be held on March 12, Saturday, 2005,
7:00pm,
at a location to be announced later.
(2).
Pageant Night competitions will include: (a). a 3- to 5-minute talent performance; (b). a 2-minute public address; (c). a
question/answer session; (d). personal attributes, including poise, appearance, friendliness, creativity/originality, and
quick-wittedness, etc.; and (e). a “popularity” score compiled from the rankings of all audience members over
the age of 16.
(3). TAOA will provide a piano,
if required, for talent show performance. Other instruments, accompaniment, and/or
music will be the candidate’s own responsibility.
(4). There is no specific
dress code for the candidates at the Pageant Night; however, the dress
shall be deemed appropriate for her talent-show and/or public address
and question/answer session.
There is time allotted for a dress change between the talent show and
the public address session.
(5). If you need a practice run for your talent-show
performance, please notify the TAFA Project personnel to request the practice run prior to March 5 (Saturday), 2005, via e-mail. The candidates must arrive between 5:30pm and
6:00pm for a practice run, and no later than 6:30pm on the TAFA Pageant Night for rehearsal.
(6). The sequence of the talent show (and also the public address and the question/answer
session) will be determined through a random drawing by the candidates themselves during the rehearsal. The Pageant Night will start at 7:00pm.
(7). The TAFA Pageant
Night judges will evaluate all semi-finalists, plus the audience’s popularity ranking at the Pageant Night, and select
the Winner of the 2005 TAFA based on the five scoring items list above.
V. Scoring system:
(1). A Pageant Night five- (5-) judge panel
will score each candidate on a 10-point system
(rounded to one decimal point) with 10 points as the highest score on each of the competition
categories in Item IV(2) (a) through (d); the results will then be
averaged and rounded to two decimal
points.
(2). The audience popularity ranking in Item IV (2) (e) category will
be scored
between 0.20 and 1.00 (i.e., the most popular one is awarded a score
of 1.00, while the last one is
given a score of 0.20, and the others are evenly scored in between). In case each audience member
must rank all the semi-finalists, or the ballot will be invalid.
(3). Judges’ overall average (down to two decimal points) and
the popularity score (also down to
two decimal points) will be added together as the total score for each
candidate.
(4). These total scores
will be used to determine the 2005 TAFA Finalist, 1st Runner-Up
and 2nd Runner-Up.
If there is a tie, the judges’ overall average score will be used to break the tie.
These scores will be final and no protest is allowed.
VI. TAFA Awards:
Awards:
Depending on the total number of registered candidates,
Situation 1: If there are 30 or more TAFA Registered Candidates--
(1). Finalist,
$1,000, a “TAFA” ribbon, and a crown;*
(2). 1st
Runner-Up, $500;
(3). 2nd
Runner-Up, $250;
(4).
The other semi-finalists, $100 each;
(5).
Each of the semi-finalists will receive a flower bouquet.
Situation 2: If there are 29 or fewer TAFA Registered Candidates--
We may reduce the Awards amounts, for example--
(1). Finalist,
$500, a “TAFA” ribbon, and a crown;*
(2). 1st
Runner-Up, $250;
(3). 2nd
Runner-Up, $100;
(4).
The other semi-finalists, $50 each;
(5).
Each of the semi-finalists will receive a flower bouquet.
*NOTE: The
crown is the property of the TAOA and
normally will be kept by TAOA. The TAFA will wear it
only during TAOA sponsored
events and the TAFA is
participating in.
VII. Obligations of the TAFA, 1st and 2nd Runners-Up, and remaining
semi-finalists:
(1). The first assignment
for the TAFA will be to act as the Parade Queen of TAOA Unit in the 2005 National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade (NCBFP) on
April 9 (Saturday), 2005 in DC.
(2). The two Runners-up
will carry the TAOA Banner leading the TAOA Unit in the 2005 NCBFP Parade procession.
The remaining semi-finalists will participate in other parts of the NCBFP Parade elements. The other TAFA candidates (i.e., those who are not selected as the semi-finalists) are welcome to join
the 2005 NCBFP parade element, especially the Taiwan Eco-system
array.
(3). The other participation
requirements of the TAFA and the two Runners-Up:
The TAFA and the two Runners-Up shall also participate in at least
two other TAOA sponsored activities. These other activities include, but are
not limited to, events which will increase TA and/or Taiwan’s visibility in US communities, e.g., National Independence
Day Parade (NIDP), Montgomery County Fair, Montgomery County Thanksgiving Day Parade, international cultural festival, or
community service, including volunteering, etc. Excluding participation in the NIDP on July 4th, 2005 (this will be a required activity if the TAOA sponsors the NIDP), participation
in other activities will be mutually agreed upon ahead of time by TAOA, TAFA, and the Runners-Up. Other TAFA semi-finalists and candidates are welcome to join these other activities also.
(4). If the 2005 TAFA Finalist and/or the Runners-Up cannot
fulfill their obligations as
TAFA and/or Runners-Up, certain steps will be taken:
(a).
If she cannot participate in the 2005 NCBFP, TAFA shall return the Award money, TAFA ribbon, and the crown to the TAOA,
and the 1st Runner-Up will assume that title (Note: the 3rd semi-finalist will become the 2nd
Runner-Up under this situation). The same rule is applied to the Runners-Up (i.e.,
return the Award money to TAOA, and the position will be given to the next highest scoring candidate).
(b).
If the TAFA or Runners-Up have attended the 2005 NCBFP, but cannot attend the National Independence Day Parade (if
the TAOA sponsors the Parade) and one
other required activity, then she they must return one-half of the Award money and the TAFA shall also return the crown to
the TAOA, and the 1st Runner-Up will assume the 2005 TAFA title. The
same rule is applied to the Runners-Up.
VIII. If you have any questions, please contact:
David Huang (黃春林) at david_huang@comcast.net (301-963-8753);
Fu-Ching Yang (楊富晴) at fyang@mail.umd.edu (301-794-8966);
Joyce Yu (余南澄) at joyceyu123@hotmail.com (301-226-0518);
Crystal Chen (陳貞如) at cc398@law.georgetown.edu (202-557-4664); and
Ching-San Huang (黃慶三) at cshuang2@yahoo.com (301-217-9384).
