Brochure and Entry Form (.pdf)

Columbia, SC--Forests are amazing ecosystems that are home to many plants and animals. Forests purify the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, prevent erosion, reduce flooding, and serve as buffers against climate change. Forests also produce a variety of products used by people, including lumber, paper, food, and medicine.

We invite Richland County K-12 students to create a poster illustrating why forests are important, and how we can protect and conserve forests so they will be with us always.

Eligibility

Richland County students in grades K-12 should submit their posters to the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District for local judging by Friday, April 12, 2024. Students in other counties in SC should contact their local conservation district for entry deadlines and details.

Rules

1. Posters MUST be 14”x 22”. We can provide up to 24 sheets of 14”x22” poster paper per school; contact Chanda Cooper at cooper.chanda@richlandcountysc.gov to request supplies.  
2. Any media may be used to create a flat or two-dimensional effect, including paint, marker, ink, crayon, charcoal, colored pencil, stickers, collage, wallpaper, magazines, photos, digitally-designed graphics or flat objects found in nature.
3. Posters should be packaged so they remain flat when sent for judging.
4. All posters must be created by an individual student rather than a team of students.
5. The 2024 contest topic (May the Forest Be With You Always) must be on the poster.  
6. Attach a signed entry form to the back of the poster. Student or school names must not appear on the front of the poster.    
7. Entry must be contestant's original creation and may not be traced from photographs or other artists' published works.

Evaluation

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

1. Conservation Message: poster illustrates why forests are important and/or how we can conserve forests.  (50%)
2. Visual Effectiveness: poster attracts attention, uses colors and white space effectively, is easy to read, is neat, and makes good use of colors and shading. (30%)
3. Originality (10%)
4. Overall Appeal (10%)

Submission

Posters completed by Richland County students should be delivered to the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District by Friday, April 12, 2024. Posters may be dropped off in person or mailed to 2020 Hampton Street, Room 3063A, Columbia, SC 29204. Posters should be packaged to remain flat when sent for judging. 

Competition Progression and Awards

Richland County winners will progress to the state competition in Fall 2024; state winners will progress to the national competition in Winter 2024. Cash prizes will be awarded at each level.

• County Competition: $25 prizes will be awarded to winning posters in each of five grade level categories. Cash prizes are sponsored by the Richland Soil and Water Conservation District.
• State Competition: $50 prizes will be awarded to winning posters in each of five grade level categories. Cash prizes are sponsored by the SC Association of Conservation Districts.
• National Competition: First place prizes in each grade level category will receive $200; second place posters will receive $150; third place posters will receive $100. Cash prizes are sponsored by the National Association of Conservation Districts Auxiliary, the Country Store at the NACD Annual Meeting, and individual donors.

Sponsors

Richland Soil and Water Conservation District
SC Association of Conservation Districts
National Association of Conservation Districts

For more information, contact Chanda Cooper at (803) 576-2084 or cooper.chanda@richlandcountysc.gov.

Brochure and Entry Form (.pdf)

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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 and care of natural resources--with a focus on soil and water--for long-term sustainability in a changing environment.

Contact

Richland Soil and Water Conservation District
2020 Hampton Street, Room 3063A
Columbia, SC 29204
Phone (803) 576-2084
Fax (803) 576-2088
E-mail soilandwater@richlandcountysc.gov
Facebook www.facebook.com/rswcd
Instagram www.instagram.com/richland_swcd/