2017 Youth Conservation Poster Contest

Printable Rules and Entry Form (3 pages)
Printable Entry Form (1 page)

Contest Theme
The 2017 Conservation Poster Contest theme is “Healthy Soils Are Full of Life.”  This title must be on the poster for it to be eligible for judging.

Soils, especially healthy soils, are full of life.  Millions of species and billions of organisms (including bacteria, algae, fungi, tiny insects, spiders, mites, earthworms, and nematodes) make up complex underground food webs which cycle nutrients, improve soil structure, and encourage plant growth.  In fact, there can be more organisms in a single teaspoon of healthy soil than there are people on the planet!

Healthy soils are the foundations for human communities and natural ecosystems.  Healthy soils allow for the production of food and fiber and the growth of forests, meadows, and agricultural crops.  Healthy soils are protected from erosion and they absorb and filter water, improving water quality and creating healthier watersheds.  These important soil functions are often made possible by the organisms that live in the soil.  We invite you to learn more about the soil ecosystem and the teeming life beneath your feet, then share your knowledge in the form of a poster titled “Healthy Soils Are Full of Life.”

Eligibility
The National Conservation Poster Contest is open to students in grades K-12.  Richland County students should submit their posters to the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District for local judging by April 10, 2017; students in other counties in SC should contact their local conservation district for entry deadlines and details.

Rules

• Any media may be used to create a flat or two-dimensional effect, including paint, crayon, charcoal, colored pencil, stickers, collage, or digitally-designed graphics.
• Posters must be no smaller than 8.5”x11” and no larger than 22”x28”.
• 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 2017 Stewardship Title, “Healthy Soils Are Full of Life,” must be on the poster.  
• Each entry must include a signed entry form.  
• Although younger students may receive help in planning their posters from parents or teachers, we encourage students to complete as much of the work as possible by themselves.  Entries completed by students in their own handwriting and coloring will score better than those designed, drawn, and/or colored with adult assistance.  

Evaluation
Posters will be evaluated by grade level according to the following criteria:

• Conservation message (50%)
• Visual effectiveness (30%)
• Originality (10%)
• Universal appeal (10%)

Submission
Posters completed by Richland County students should be delivered to the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District by April 10, 2017.  Posters may be dropped off in person or mailed.  Posters should be packaged to remain flat when sent for judging.

Richland Soil and Water Conservation District
2020 Hampton Street, Room 3063A
Columbia, SC 29204
Phone: (803) 576-2080
Fax: (803) 576-2088
E-mail: RichlandSWCD@gmail.com

Competition Progression and Awards
Richland County winners will progress to the state competition; state winners will progress to the national competition.  Cash prizes will be awarded at each level.

• County Competition—Sponsored by the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District
  • Prizes: $25 prizes will be awarded to winning posters in each of five grade level categories (Grades K-1; 2-3; 4-6; 7-9; 10-12).
• State Competition—Sponsored by the SC Association of Conservation Districts
  • Prizes: $25 prizes will be awarded to winning posters in each of five grade level categories (Grades K-1; 2-3; 4-6; 7-9; 10-12).
• National Competition—Sponsored by the National Association of Conservation Districts
  • Prizes: First place posters in each grade-level category will receive $200; second place posters will receive $150; and third-place posters will receive $100.  Grade-level categories are K-1; 2-3; 4-6; 7-9; 10-12.  Monetary prizes at the national level are sponsored by the National Association of Conservation Districts Auxiliary and the Albert I. Pierce Foundation.

Resources
A complete list of resources, including age-appropriate websites and books, is available online at http://www.nacdnet.org/education/contests/poster/.

Printable Rules and Entry Form (3 pages)
Printable Entry Form (1 page) 

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Conservation Districts are political subdivisions of state government under the local direction of five-member Boards of Commissioners.  The Richland Soil and Water Conservation District promotes the wise use of natural resources for the benefit of the citizens of Richland County.

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