Pennsylvania might adopt a new state slogan, and the public can now submit ideas in the "Penn a Phrase for Pennsylvania" contest.

Gov. Ed Rendell announced the contest, the first of its kind in state history, last week.

Entries will be accepted until Dec. 17 and can be made by visiting www.visitpa.com or by mailing official forms that are available at visitor centers, liquor stores and some restaurants across the state, said Carrie Fischer, spokeswoman for the Pennsylvania Tourism Office.

Typically, the state hires an advertising agency to formulate a slogan, but this time Rendell decided to let the public come up with it, said Mike Lukens, spokesman for the governor.

"It's important to get the people involved," he said.

The governor made the decision to change the previous slogan -- "Memories Last a Lifetime" -- because he didn't think it resonated with the public, Fischer said.

"Traditionally governors look at the slogan and see if it meets his idea for tourism," Lukens said.

"The current one was not effective."

A panel of judges will narrow the slogan entries to five; these five will then be placed on the www.visitpa.com Web page from Dec. 24 to Jan. 31, so people can vote for their favorite, Fischer said.

Shawn McCourt (junior-finance) said he thinks it is an excellent idea to let the citizens who live in and travel through Pennsylvania to decide their state slogan.

McCourt said it would be hard to think of an effective slogan, but that he could try.

"Pennsylvania, it's the center for it all," he proposed.

Joe Hainly (sophomore-accounting) said it is better to have the people create the slogan than have an advertising agency do it.

"You want the citizens' input. That's what it should be about. You wouldn't want an outside agency deciding that," Hainly said.

The first-place winner, who will be announced in early February at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, will receive a vacation to anywhere in Pennsylvania worth up to $5,000, Fischer said.

The runners-up will receive a smaller-scale Pennsylvania vacation.

Betsy Howell, executive director of the Centre County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said her center is trying to make people aware of the contest by hanging the contest poster and handing out entry forms.

"We hope people will take advantage to help position Pennsylvania," Howell said.

Since the entry form can be self-mailed, most people just take the card and go, Howell said.

The contest will be a valuable way to boost tourism and get people involved at the same time, she added.

The winning slogan will appear on the state's welcome signs, replacing the governor's name, Lukens said.

There will also be special license plates available with the new slogan, he added.