Tips for Programs

Contests

Contests are good tools for stimulating interest in water-related topics in scientific disciplines and in non-scientific disciplines, such as language and visual arts. There are many national, state, and local contests available for youth and adults that are water related. An Internet search will uncover many opportunities. Here are a few examples of what you might find:

National Environmental Education Week contests

Take part in the nation’s largest celebration of environmental education! Register your EE project or event happening on or around April 17-23, or get ideas on how to celebrate! Activities sponsored by the National Environmental Education Foundation include contests and prizes.

Envirothon

The annual North American Envirothon Competition is an environmental education program in which winning teams from participating states and Canadian provinces compete for recognition and schoarlships. Student must demonstrate their knowledge of environmental science and natural resoruce management. The Competition is cnetered on four universal testing categories (i.e., soils/land use, aquatic ecology, forestry, and wildlife) and a current environmental issue.

National Duck Stamp Contests

The Federal Duck Stamp Contest is the only federally legislated art competition in the country. Any citizen over the age of 18 can participate in the Contest, sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as a means to fund conservation of migratory birds and wetlands. Youth can participate in the Jr. Duck Stamp Contest. Youth educators and leaders can access the Jr. Duck Stamp Conservation Education Curriculum for middle school youth. It provides background information and both indoor and outdoor activities focused on waterfowl and wetlands.

River of Words

River of Words is a poetry and art contest open to students ages 5-19 and is sponsored the Center for Environmental Literacy, St. Mary’s College of Caliifornia and the Library of Congress Center for the Book.