National Association of Conservation Districts

2008 Poster Contest Rules

Theme: Water is Life

Eligibility
The National Conservation Poster Contest is open to kindergarten through twelfth grade students. Artwork entered into the national competition must have been evaluated in a local or area conservation district sponsored poster contest and a state conservation association or state auxiliary sponsored contest.

One poster from each state may be entered in each of the following grade categories: K-1, 2-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. The state conservation association or auxiliary selects a poster for entering in each of the grade divisions and submits it to NACD. The state does not have to enter a poster for every grade level. The contest is open to public, private or home school students.

2008 Contest Theme
The National Poster Contest theme "Water is Life," based on the 2008 NACD Stewardship theme. Topics you may want to research are: Water in your ever day life, water cycle, groundwater, sources of drinking water, amount of water on Earth, watersheds, stormwater runoff, drought, flooding, water used to grow food you use each day, while remembering the theme of “Water is Life”. Additional information can be found at www.nacdnet.org Stewardship &
Education.

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, paper or other materials).
  
• Poster size must be between 8.5" x 11" and 22" x 28".
• Use 2008 Stewardship Theme “Water Is Life” on your poster
  
• A completed entry form must be attached to the back of the poster.
  
• Posters should be packaged so they remain flat when sent for judging.
  
• Each entry must have been evaluated at each conservation district's most recent competition prior to the state evaluation.
  
• All posters must be created by an individual student rather than a team of students.
  
• 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.

• Posters must be judged at the state level. Individual posters can not be sent for national judging by individuals. They must follow their state’s contest rules and deadlines.
  
• Entries from states must be postmarked by December 1, 2008 and mailed to: NACD National Poster Contest, Susan Schultz, 968 East 600 North, Greenfield, IN 46140
  
• Each entry must have the Entry form filled out and signed by guardian or parent to be judged. Forms are available at www.nacdnet.org, Stewardship & Education, Contest section.

Poster Evaluations
National Poster Contest entries are reviewed judges. The posters are evaluated on the following criteria:

• Conservation message (50 percent)
  
• Visual effectiveness (30 percent)
  
• Originality (10 percent) and
  
• Universal appeal (10 percent).

Prizes
Prizes will be awarded by the NACD Auxiliary in each of the five grade divisions. First place winners receive $100 and second place winners receive $75. Depending on the sponsoring state’s conservation association, auxiliary or agency's preference, 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. Please fill out state form when submitting posters for the national contest, with information on number of participants at the area or local contest and to whom the posters are to be returned to at the state level. The National poster contest is not responsible for returning posters back to each individual poster winner.

Sponsors
The program is sponsored by the National Association of Conservation Districts 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.

Questions? Contact Susan Schultz, NACD Stewardship and Education at stewardship@nacdnet.org or call 317-326-2952.