Last updated: August 7, 2026
This page covers the official details for submitting Ways, qualifying for prizes, choosing winners, and receiving prizes.
For the simpler overview, available prizes, and basic instructions, visit the Prizes & Celebration page.
The challenge is free to join. By submitting Ways or accepting a prize, you agree to follow these rules.
1. Who Can Participate
Anyone age 13 or older may join the challenge.
Participants under 18 need permission from a parent or legal guardian to receive a prize. Cortex Evolution may ask for confirmation of that permission.
People may participate from any location, but individual prizes may have geographic or other restrictions. Participants may choose only prizes for which they are eligible. Participation and prize eligibility are void where prohibited by law.
People directly involved in running or judging the prize competition cannot win competitive prizes. Prize Partner representatives cannot win a prize provided by their own organization.
Anyone who is not eligible for prizes may still participate, submit Ways, and build a Memory Bank.
2. Challenge Period and Deadlines
All submitted Ways must have occurred during the official challenge period:
June 1 through September 8, 2026
Participants may join at any time. Experiences completed earlier in the challenge period remain eligible, subject to the one-submission-per-day rule.
Final submissions must be received by 11:59 PM Mountain Time (America/Denver) on September 8, 2026. Late submissions will not count toward prizes unless Cortex Evolution determines that a documented technical problem prevented an otherwise timely submission.
Mountain Time determines calendar days, submission limits, and deadlines. The recorded submission time controls whether an entry was received before or after midnight.
3. Valid Ways and Stories
A Way is a qualifying, primarily screen-free real-world activity completed by the participant. The Challenge Guidelines provide the primary guidance for what counts as a Way.
Every submitted story must include at least one qualifying Way. A story without an actual qualifying activity does not count.
Each entry must:
- Describe a genuine experience from one calendar day.
- Include the date the experience occurred.
- Include a brief story about the experience.
- Be submitted by the participant who completed it.
- Be reasonably consistent with the purpose and spirit of the challenge.
A story may describe one Way or several Ways completed on the same day, whether or not they were related.
The challenge operates primarily on the honor system. Cortex Evolution may request reasonable clarification or verification and makes the final decision about whether an entry qualifies under the Challenge Guidelines and the spirit of the challenge.
Fraudulent, fabricated, automated, copied, or duplicate entries are invalid.
4. Submission Limits and Counting
Participants may submit no more than one story per calendar day.
An experience may be submitted after the date it occurred, but submitting an older experience does not allow more than one submission that day. Bulk submissions are not permitted.
Each accepted story counts as one entry toward milestone prizes, the Most Days category, and any other category based on the number of qualifying submitted days.
A story containing several Ways still counts as only one quantitative entry.
Each participant must use one consistent email address or participant identity unless Cortex Evolution approves an exception. Entries submitted under multiple identities may be combined or removed to keep totals accurate.
5. Story-Sharing Choices
Participants select a sharing preference for each story.
Public With Your Name
The story may be publicly shared with the participant’s name and is eligible for community-voted story prizes and quantitative prizes.
Selecting Public With Your Name gives Cortex Evolution permission to display and share the written story in connection with the challenge, including on the challenge website, during the winner event, and in challenge communications.
Anonymous
The story may be shared without identifying the participant. It still counts toward quantitative prizes but is not eligible for community-voted story prizes.
Private
The story will not be intentionally shared publicly. It still counts toward quantitative prizes but is not eligible for community-voted story prizes.
Only stories designated Public With Your Name are eligible for the Most Creative Way, Most Moving Memory, and Most Impactful Memory categories.
Cortex Evolution may decline to publish or feature any submission and does not guarantee that every eligible story will be displayed, presented, or selected as a finalist.
6. Milestone Prizes
Participants qualify for milestone prizes by submitting the required number of accepted stories from different calendar days.
Current milestone levels and prize options are listed on the Prizes & Celebration page.
Participants may earn every milestone prize for which they qualify. Every eligible participant who reaches a milestone and attends the live winner event will receive one prize from that milestone.
Each qualifying participant will receive a milestone prize, but individual prize options remain subject to eligibility and availability.
Earning milestone prizes does not prevent a participant from also winning one competitive prize.
7. Competitive Prize Categories
Participants may win no more than one competitive, non-milestone prize.
Most Days
Awarded to the participant with the greatest number of accepted submissions from different calendar days.
Most Creative Way
Awarded through community voting to the eligible finalist whose Way is considered the most original or inventive.
Most Moving Memory
Awarded through community voting to the eligible finalist whose story is considered the most emotionally compelling.
Most Impactful Memory
Awarded through community voting to the eligible finalist whose experience is considered to have created the greatest positive effect on the participant or others.
Connection Champion
Awarded to the participant credited with bringing the greatest number of new participants into the challenge through one or more in-person events or shared in-person experiences.
Credit is given only when a new participant registers, identifies the referring participant, and identifies the qualifying in-person event or experience.
Digital Freedom Champion
Awarded to the participant credited with inspiring the greatest number of new participants to join through any source, including personal invitations, social media, email, community outreach, or in-person contact.
Credit is given only when the new participant identifies the referring participant during registration.
Cortex Evolution may review referral claims, combine obvious name variations, reject duplicate or unverifiable referrals, and resolve conflicting attributions.
8. Story Finalists and Community Voting
Cortex Evolution will select a reasonable number of finalists for each community-voted category. The number may vary depending on the number of eligible submissions and expected event attendance.
Finalists are evaluated based on the submitted story and any supporting materials. Cortex Evolution may shorten or lightly edit a story for length, grammar, or clarity without materially changing its meaning.
Finalists may be invited to share their stories during the live event. Voters may naturally respond to the story’s detail, supporting photos or videos, and how it is shared during the event, but none of these is required unless announced in advance.
Voting will be open to registered challenge participants attending the live winner event. Each attending participant may cast one vote in each community-voted category. Voting procedures will be explained during the event.
Cortex Evolution may exclude duplicate, automated, purchased, fraudulent, or manipulated votes and may use another reasonable voting procedure if technical or integrity problems affect the original vote.
9. Multiple Competitive Categories
If one participant would otherwise win more than one competitive category, that participant may receive only one competitive award.
The participant will ordinarily choose which category to accept, and the next eligible participant or runner-up will receive the other category.
If the participant is unavailable or does not choose within the time provided, Cortex Evolution may assign the participant to one category and advance the runner-up in the other.
10. Ties
For a tied quantitative category, Cortex Evolution may use verified category-specific information, a neutral random drawing, or another fair method appropriate to the category.
For a tied community vote, Cortex Evolution may conduct a runoff vote, use a designated tie-breaking vote, recognize co-winners if sufficient prizes are available, or use another fair procedure.
Cortex Evolution retains final tie-breaking authority when an unforeseen tie cannot reasonably be resolved otherwise.
11. Live Winner Event and Attendance
Participants must attend the live virtual winner event to claim any milestone or competitive prize.
A participant is considered present when Cortex Evolution can identify and communicate with them during the portions of the event when their eligibility is confirmed and their prizes are claimed or selected. No particular Zoom account or display name is required.
A brief technical disconnection will not automatically cause forfeiture if the participant reconnects within a reasonable time. If a participant arrives after their prize has been awarded, leaves before selecting it, cannot be identified, or cannot reasonably communicate, the prize may instead be offered to the runner-up or another eligible participant.
Winners generally may not have someone attend or select a prize for them.
Cortex Evolution may grant an exception in extraordinary circumstances at its sole discretion, but exceptions are not guaranteed.
12. Prize Selection and Availability
Winners will ordinarily claim and select their prizes live from the eligible options still available.
Prize selections are generally made in the order announced. Once selected, a prize may no longer be available to later winners.
Participants may select only prizes for which they meet all geographic, age, scheduling, transportation, provider, or other prize-specific requirements.
Prizes may not be exchanged for cash unless Cortex Evolution expressly approves an exception.
Prize descriptions, estimated values, availability, and restrictions may change. A specific prize is not reserved until the winner selects it and Cortex Evolution confirms it.
If a selected prize becomes unavailable, Cortex Evolution may offer a reasonably comparable substitute or allow the winner to choose another available prize.
13. Prize Fulfillment
Most sponsored prizes will be fulfilled directly by the applicable Prize Partner.
Within 24 hours after receiving a fulfillment request, the winner must provide:
- The recipient’s full name.
- A complete mailing or delivery address.
- An email address for fulfillment updates.
- A phone number for delivery or sponsor questions.
- Any other information reasonably necessary to deliver or arrange the prize.
- Confirmation that the information provided is complete and accurate.
The winner may provide a different email address from the one used to join the challenge.
By providing a phone number for fulfillment, the winner agrees to receive calls or text messages related to delivering or arranging the prize. The number will not be shared with the Prize Partner for unrelated marketing without separate permission.
A winner who declines a prize, cannot be reached, or does not provide the required information within 24 hours may forfeit it. Cortex Evolution may then offer the prize to the runner-up or another eligible participant.
Winners are responsible for providing accurate fulfillment information. Cortex Evolution and the Prize Partner are not responsible for delays, failed delivery, loss, or additional costs caused by inaccurate or incomplete information provided by the winner.
Prize Partners are asked to ship the prize or begin fulfillment within one week after receiving complete information, but delivery and scheduling times may vary.
The Prize Partner will cover the prize and its standard delivery. Winners are responsible only for costs outside the stated prize, such as travel, optional upgrades, equipment or services needed to use it, and any legally required taxes.
If a Prize Partner fails to fulfill a prize, Cortex Evolution may attempt to arrange a substitute or another reasonable resolution but cannot guarantee replacement.
14. Participant Information and Media
Cortex Evolution may use participant contact and submission information to administer the challenge, maintain Memory Banks and participant records, communicate with participants, verify entries and referrals, determine eligibility and winners, and coordinate prize fulfillment.
Information reasonably necessary to fulfill a selected prize may be shared with the applicable Prize Partner.
Photos and videos are optional. Separate permission will be obtained before submitted media is publicly displayed, published, or used promotionally.
Participants must be authorized to submit any media they provide and must have permission from identifiable individuals shown or heard, including parent or guardian permission for identifiable minors.
Cortex Evolution may remove or decline content that raises privacy, permission, safety, appropriateness, or other reasonable concerns.
15. Organizer Decisions and Fair Participation
Participants may not manipulate submissions, referrals, registrations, finalist selection, voting, or prize results, or engage in dishonesty, impersonation, harassment, abusive conduct, or attempts to gain an unfair advantage.
Cortex Evolution will make final decisions about eligibility, submission validity, counting, referrals, voting, ties, misconduct, rule interpretation, and unforeseen situations.
16. Changes, Suspension, or Cancellation
If unexpected problems arise, Cortex Evolution may update the rules, change the event process, replace a prize, postpone the event, or cancel a prize category or the competition.
This may include technical failures, fraud, safety concerns, Prize Partner changes, circumstances beyond Cortex Evolution’s control, or other unforeseen problems.
Material changes will be communicated through the challenge website, participant email, or another reasonable channel when practical.
17. Prize Risks and Liability
Participation and acceptance of any prize are voluntary.
Winners are responsible for deciding whether a prize is appropriate for them and for following all safety instructions, eligibility requirements, provider terms, and professional guidance applicable to that prize.
To the fullest extent permitted by law, Cortex Evolution is not responsible for injuries, losses, damages, expenses, or claims arising from accepting, receiving, using, misusing, or being unable to use a prize.
Partner-supplied prizes are created, provided, controlled, and fulfilled by the applicable Prize Partners. Cortex Evolution is not responsible for a Prize Partner’s acts, omissions, representations, services, products, safety practices, scheduling decisions, cancellations, or failure to fulfill a prize.
Participation does not guarantee finalist selection, a competitive award, a particular prize, or agreement with every administrative or voting decision. To the fullest extent permitted by law, participants waive claims based solely on not winning, not receiving a preferred prize, being found ineligible, or disagreeing with a decision reasonably made under these rules.
Nothing in these rules excludes responsibility that cannot legally be excluded.
18. Questions
Questions about these rules, eligibility, submissions, or prizes may be sent to: