Official contest rules

Nothing is bought and nothing is paid to enter. A student enters by bringing in Pokémon trading cards they already own, or that were given to them, and having them recorded by Lincoln Elementary. Cards are donated, not sold, and no entry fee, ticket, or purchase of any kind is required or accepted.

Prizes are awarded for effort, not luck. The student who has the most cards recorded to their name at the closing date wins first place, the next highest wins second, and so on. No drawing, lottery, or random selection is used at any point, including to break a tie.

Students enrolled at Lincoln Elementary during the contest period. Entry by a student under 18 requires a parent or legal guardian to consent in writing, using the consent form below. A student may take part in the card collection without entering the prize contest — the cards still earn the school money either way, and no child is excluded from the fundraiser by not competing.

Employees of Pokémon-athon and their immediate families are not eligible for prizes.

The contest opens on Tue, Sep 8, 2026. It closes at the end of Fri, Dec 18, 2026.

Cards handed in after the closing date still earn money for the school but do not count toward the contest.

A student’s total is the number of cards Lincoln Elementary records against their name. Counts shown during the contest are what was handed in, before the cards have been inspected. Cards that turn out to be unusable — badly damaged, counterfeit, or not trading cards at all — are removed from the total when the box is opened. The count used to decide the winner is the count after that inspection.

Lincoln Elementary keeps the record of who handed in what, and its record is final for the purposes of this contest.

If two or more students finish level, the tie is broken in favour of whichever of them reached that number first, by the date their cards were recorded. If they are still level, Lincoln Elementary PTA will award a prize of equal value to each tied student. Ties are never broken by drawing lots.

Awarded on final standings:

• 1st place: Electric bike — Awarded at the spring assembly (approximate retail value $1,200)
• 2nd place: $50 game store gift card (approximate retail value $50)

Total approximate retail value of the placed prizes: $1,250.

In addition, every entered student whose recorded count reaches the following levels earns that prize, regardless of where they finish. These are not limited to one winner:

• 50 cards: Pokémon sticker sheet (approximate retail value $1 per student)
• 250 cards: Pokémon pencil case (approximate retail value $3 per student)
• 1,000 cards: Pokémon plush — Pick one from the prize table (approximate retail value $8 per student)

Prizes are provided and awarded by Lincoln Elementary PTA. Pokémon-athon does not supply, fund, or award prizes. Pokémon-athon buys donated cards from the school at a fixed rate per card; what the school does with that money, including any prizes, is the school’s own decision.

No prize may be exchanged for cash. Lincoln Elementary PTA may substitute a prize of equal or greater value if the one described becomes unavailable.

One of the prizes has an approximate retail value of $600 or more. In the United States a prize of that value is generally reportable income for the person who receives it, and the party awarding it may be required to issue a Form 1099-MISC. Where the winner is a minor, this is a question for their parent or guardian.

Neither Lincoln Elementary PTA nor Pokémon-athon gives tax advice. Winning families should speak to their own adviser before accepting a prize of this size, and they may decline a prize.

Pokémon-athon stores a participating child’s first name or nickname only, entered by their parent or guardian, and never displays it publicly. Standings shown to a parent give positions and card counts, never another child’s name. See the privacy notice and kids and safety.

Winning does not require a family to agree to publicity. If Lincoln Elementary wants to name or photograph a winner in a newsletter, on a website, or at an assembly, it must ask for that separately, and a family may say no and still keep the prize.

Questions about this contest go to Lincoln Elementary at ana@example.com. Pokémon-athon does not administer this contest and cannot answer questions about it.

This contest is governed by the law of California, and is void where prohibited.