The 2024 Poster Contest Theme is “May the Forest be With You Always“
Click here for the 2024 Local Entry Form– Return this to your local SWCD with your poster entry, deadlines may vary.
The annual 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 NACD Stewardship theme.
Each year, the poster contest starts at the district level. Individuals and teachers with questions regarding district contests should contact their local district. To locate your local district click here or contact the VASWCD. District winners advance to the state level. Only Local Soil & Water Conservation Districts can forward their local winning poster entries to the VASWCD office for consideration at the state level. Local SWCDs need to submit these poster winners to the VASWCD for consideration by October 16, 2024. Virginia state winners will advance to the National Contest. National winners are recognized each year at the NACD Annual Meeting.
Any Girl Scout or Boy Scout who creates a poster and submits it to their local SWCD for judging can earn the VASWCD Poster Contest Patch. When submitting a poster to earn the Poster Contest Pat
ch, be sure to check the box on the entry form. Please note that poster patches are distributed in December each year. For more information about the VASWCD Poster Contest Patch check out our click on the patch or check out our Scout Patch Program
2024 Contest Theme
“May the Forest be With You Always” – Visit NACD’s website for more information and resources.
Poster Categories by Grade:
- K-1st
- 2nd-3rd
- 4th-6th
- 7th-9th hand-drawn
- 7-9th digital
- 10th-12th hand-drawn
- 10-12th digital
- Braille *NEW*
- Additional Assist *NEW*
The contest is open to public, private or home school students, girl scout/boy scout troops, etc.
Background:
Rules and Resources ( to be updated in February 2023)
Click Here for a list of hand-drawn poster contest rules. Please check with your local Soil & Water Conservation District for poster size.
Click here for a list of digital poster contest rules. (open for 7-12th grade categories)
Click here for the NACD Poster Contest Page for more resources
District Organizers
Be sure to include a copy of the SWCD Local to State Form with your poster entries when submitting to VASWCD.
To Enter the Contest:
Entries at the local and state contest must follow the rules and dates for when your poster is due that is set by local organizers. Posters must include a Local Poster Entry Form (word document version)
Local contests are held by your local conservation district. Rules may differ from the national contest rules. Be sure to check with your local SWCD to find out their deadline to accept Posters. To find your local conservation district, click here.
Prizes
State winners receive recognition and a prize from the VASWCD. The 1st place poster in each category will be submitted to the National Association of Conservation Districts’ Poster Contest.
The top three posters in each category of the national contest will receive monetary prizes. First-place winners will receive $200, second-place winners will receive $150 and 3rd place winners will receive $100. Monetary prizes at the national level are sponsored by the NACD Auxiliary from their quilt project and the Albert I Pierce Foundation.
Visit the NACD Poster Contest site for additional resources and information: http://www.nacdnet.org/general-resources/stewardship-and-education-materials/contests/