The annual National Conservation Poster Contest provides kindergarten through twelfth grade students an opportunity to convey their thoughts about soil, water and related natural resource issues through art. It also highlights the educational outreach efforts of conservation districts and their state conservation associations, auxiliaries and agencies. The poster contest theme follows the annual Stewardship theme. The contest is co-sponsored by the National Association of Conservation Districts and the NACD Auxiliary.
Each year, the poster contest starts at the district level. Individuals and teachers with questions regarding district contests should contact us.
Eligibility
The National Conservation Poster Contest is open to kindergarten through twelfth grade students. Artwork entered into the national competition must have been judged in a local or area conservation district sponsored poster contest and a state conservation association or state auxiliary sponsored contest. Posters not sent by authorized state poster group will not be considered for judging.
2012 Contest Theme
The National Poster Contest theme is “Soil to Spoon”. The contest helps teach students about where their food comes from, highlighting the important role of soils.
Poster category by grade:
- K-1
- 2-3
- 4-6
- 7-9
- 10-12
The contest is open to public, private or home school students. The Montana Association of Conservation Districts (MACD) selects a poster for entering in each of the grade divisions or special category and submits it to NACD.
Contest Rules
- The contest rules were created so as not to limit or revise the current rules of local and state conservation poster contests:
- Any media may be used to create a flat or two-dimensional effect (paint, crayon, colored pencil, charcoal, stickers, paper or other materials on regular posters – but no computer only special category)
- Poster size must be between 8.5″ x 11″ and 22″ x 28″.
- Posters should be packaged so they remain flat when sent for judging.
- All posters must be created by an individual student rather than a team of students.
- The 2012 Stewardship title “Soil to Spoon” must be on your poster. This is the only title eligible for the national poster contest.
- Names on back of posters and must have signed entry form to be eligible for judging.
- Each entry for the national contest must have the entry form filled out and signed by guardian or parent to be judged.
- Although younger students will most likely receive help in planning from parents or teachers, NACD encourages each student to do as much of the work as possible by him/herself. Entries completed by students in their handwriting and coloring will score better than those designed, drawn and colored by adult assistance.
- Each entry must have been judged at each conservation district’s or area contest prior to the state evaluation/contest.
- Posters will be judged at the state level and must be received in the MACD office no later than June 15, 2012.
- Individual posters can not be sent for national judging by individuals. They must follow their state’s contest rules and deadlines.
Poster Evaluations
National Poster Contest entries are reviewed by judges. The posters are evaluated on the following criteria:
- Conservation message (Poster uses correct theme) (50 percent)
- Visual effectiveness (30 percent)
- Originality (10 percent)
- Universal appeal (10 percent)
- Also taken into consideration artwork is completed on poster is that of participant (unless noted on entry form)
The top two posters in each category of the national contest will receive monetary prizes. First place winners will receive $100 and second place winners will receive $75. Prizes at the national level are sponsored by the NACD Auxiliary.
The national awards will be presented at a national, regional, state and/or local conservation ceremony. The winning posters will be featured at the NACD Annual Meeting. Each state conservation association, auxiliary or agency contact will receive notification of the judging results, copies of the judges’ comments and a news release announcing the winners. Posters not receiving national awards will be returned to the state contact in a timely manner following judging.
Sponsors
The National Poster Contest program is sponsored by the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) and the NACD Auxiliary. NACD, founded in 1946, is a nonprofit organization representing nearly 3,000 local conservation districts in the 50 states and U.S. Territories.
The NACD Auxiliary assists NACD with informational and educational outreach efforts.
Resource Information:
- Ag in the Classroom – http://www.agclassroom.org/
- 4-H Virtual Farm – http://www.sites.ext.vt.edu/virtualfarm/
- National Ag Library – http://www.nal.usda.gov/
- Junior Master Gardeners – http://www.jmgkids.us/
- NACD – http://www.nacdnet.org/education/resources/
- Know Your Farmer Know Your Food – http://www.usda.gov/knowyourfarmer
- National Agriculture Statics Services – http://www.nass.usda.gov/Data_and_Statistics/
- Careers in Agriculture – http://www.agday.org/education/careers.php
- Gardening on your school site http://www.chicagobotanic.org/schoolgarden/index.php
- http://urbanext.illinois.edu/firstgarden/planning/school.cfm
- http://www.nationalgardenmonth.org/index.php?page=storyline-school
- http://www.growtolearn.org/
- Farm to School programs – http://www.farmtoschool.org/publications.php
- This is the online educational companion to the Smithsonian Institution’s traveling exhibition Key Ingredients: America by Food. Explore the two ingredients that are key to American cuisine – regional traditions and international influences. http://www.keyingredients.org/
- Do You have a clue where your food comes from? http://urbanext.illinois.edu/food/
Literature Connections
Books for students
- From Ag In The Classroom
- Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&rh=n%3A4%2Ck%3AAgriculture&page=1