Back to School with Hilroy - Review with Giveaway

Saturday, August 07, 2010

This contest is now closed.

Here it is, my fellow Canadians. This is what I have been so excited to share with you these past few months. Toronto Teacher Mom is proud to present a new campaign I am working on called Back to School with Hilroy. There is nothing that gets me more excited about Back to School season than getting my hands on the latest school supplies. So it goes without saying that I felt like a kid in a candy store sifting through all the neat goodies that I was sent for this review. From craft paper to binders to report covers and more, there was a myriad of fantastic and innovative designs that would be sure to make the transition of heading back to school fun for any child.

One of the coolest products in the bunch is their customizable Zipper Binder. This funky fabric zipper binder was designed for those who love to doodle. It comes with four coloured markers to decorate and customize your binder the way you want. And with the outlined artwork, it's easy for the student in your home to create their own unique pièce de résistance. It also includes a matching change pouch. Cute!

Another one of my favourites is this beautiful 1 1/2" zippered butterfly binder that comes in three different designs with embossed graphics and a bonus matching pencil case. It's just one of Hilroy's newest products from their Enviro-Plus Recycled Fashion line.

If you're not familiar with their Spread the Word initiative, you'll be happy to know that Hilroy has made a commitment to manufacture the highest quality products that are eco-friendly. For Hilroy, "sustainability is enduring, not fashionable." In fact, they have added a number of products that are recycled from post-consumer waste or PET material. Have a look at these paper pads for the craft fanatic in your house. The Fun Time paper packs are made using up to 25% recycled paper. My favourite is the Activity Pack which comes with construction paper, drawing paper, newsprint paper, stencil sheets and a "Fun with Stencils" idea sheet. It's sure to keep your little ones busy. My daughter was in stencil heaven!

I definitely give Hilroy an A+ for their eco efforts and for the fun design behind their craft papers. Here is a little more about the Hilroy Spread the Word campaign I wrote about in a post on Hilroy school supplies last May:

I really love that Hilroy has started their Hilroy Spread the Word in School program to help teachers like me educate students about the importance of thinking "green." By teaching them how to protect the Earth's precious resources, we can help change a way of thinking into a way of living - sustainable living. The school where I work has been an active eco-friendly school for a few years now and is even listed as a participating school on the Spread the Word site. Neat!

Plus, teachers can sign up to be a Hilroy4Teachers Partner in Education and download a free guide on how to build an eco-friendly school as well as keep informed on special offers and how to join other teachers in testing new product. There are also a number of fun eco games for kids, too. Visit www.hilroy.ca/spreadtheword for more information.

Here is another binder that I love - the Flex NoteBinder. I had bought a smaller version a few years ago for taking notes during an additional qualification course for teaching French as a Second Language. It was really practical and I love how they have an X-large version that holds more than your average 1 1/2" binder. It comes with a lot of neat features such as their Tech Lock rings that you pull open individually (no more accidental pinching!), three Divider NotePockets, four NoteProtectors, 8 blank sticker labels, 70 sheets of lined paper and 30 sheets of graph paper. It's also really handy to have a cover that flips over completely if you have to work on a small surface.

The Zwipes pencil case would work well with the Flex NoteBinder, or any binder for that matter. It's an expandable polyester pouch with a Zwipes front and comes with a Zwipes pen. I had never used a Zwipes pen before and I love it. It's great for jotting down notes or numbers in an easily accessible location. You can then later erase them using the releaser and eraser tips.

Write

Release

Erase

Finally, I want to share these portfolio/report covers that come in wonderful graphics. I received two adorable Baby Zoosters and two from the Mead Sports collection. My daughter really liked the gecko graphic and she now uses it to store her phonics worksheets from her year in junior kindergarten.

All this talk of school supplies gets me all excited for Back to School. Aren't you excited?

You can find Hilroy products pretty much anywhere you would find school supplies such as Staples, Loblaws, Office Depot, Grand & Toy, Shoppers Drugmart, Wal-Mart, Bureau en Gros and Jean Coutu, for example. I noticed in yesterday's Staples flyer that they currently have some of their exercise books and coil notebooks on sale for 84% off! Hilroy is also currently giving away $20,000 in VISA gift cards with prizes awarded daily. You can enter at www.hilroyfivestar.ca and don't forget to enter here on Toronto Teacher Mom to win a fabulous Back to School with Hilroy prize pack.

One reader of Toronto Teacher Mom will receive a Hilroy prize pack which includes all the fantastic school supplies that I was sent for review which means you get a customizable binder, 2 Doodler pads, 2 construction paper pads, a Zwipes pencil case, 2 Baby Zoosters and 2 Mead Sports Pocket and Prong folders, an Enviro Fashion binder with pencil case and Five Star Style Flex Notebinder. That's an approximate retail value of $65!

For your main entry, which is mandatory, visit Hilroy.ca and pick out your favourite must-have school supply. Leave your answer in a comment on this post along with a way to contact you if you win. (You need to click on the word "comments" at the bottom of this post to take you to the comment form.)

For additional entries, you may choose to do any or all of the following. Please leave a separate comment for each entry indicating what you have done. Include additional comments if indicated below.

Add my Back to School with Hilroy blog button to your site. (Worth 2 entries!)

Blog about this giveaway with a link back to this post. When you are done, leave a link to your post in your comment. (Worth 2 entries! Please leave two separate comments.)
Become a follower of Toronto Teacher Mom using Google Friend Connect.
Like Toronto Teacher Mom's Facebook Fan page.
Become a follower of Toronto Teacher Mom on Twitter and tweet about this giveaway. Tweet daily for additional entries. Feel free to use the following tweet:

I want to win a Back to School with Hilroy prize pack ($65 ARV) http://ow.ly/2msL1 @TeacherMomOfTwo

Contest ends August 28 at 11pm EST and is open to Canadian residents only. Winner will be selected using Random.org and must reply to the notification email within 3 days or a new winner will be drawn.

This giveaway is listed at All Things Bloggy

Disclosure: I received a a variety of Hilroy school supplies for the purpose of this review. I was not compensated in any other way.
The thoughts and views expressed in this review are strictly my own honest opinions.