TGC VP - Margarette Jones, Houston mjones@TEXASGARDENCLUBS.ORG
As all organizations know, the youth are 100% our future. In TGC we have programs from kinder to high school. In the early grades there are posters and writing contests on an adopted yearly theme. In the later grades the contests are on written prose and on public speaking about that year's theme. Each year we are amazed what our youth create.
Gardening Opportunities for Youth:
Garden Clubs for the youth can be organized at any level. Each club must be sponsored by an adult Garden Club, meet five times a year, minimum of 3 -5 members. Registration form is in the Youth brochure or may be requested from Headquarters.
YOUTH PROGRAMS:
For additional information and scale of points, visit National Garden Clubs, Inc. and click on "Education" then "Youth Gardening".
National Junior Youth Poster contest:
(AKA: State--Environmental Posters)
Please note there is NO NGC Environmental Poster Contest for the 2007-2009 administration.
Youth Activities Poetry Contest:
2010 Theme – "Our Beautiful World"
2011 Theme - "Fields of Daffodils"
Now is the time to excite and encourage our Youth to express their thoughts & ideas through different types of poetry. This year the NGC Poetry Contest is entitled "Our Beautiful World". Be creative and use your imagination by joining the winners to see your poetry in a printed booklet!
ELIGIBILITY: Kindergarten through 9th Grade
Special Education: Kindergarten through 9th Grade
CONTEST RULES:
1. All entries must be typed and titled.
2. Include name, address, age and school grade of participant on the back of the entry.
3. Sponsoring garden club must also be identified.
4. All entries become property of National Garden Clubs, Inc
5. Poems do not have to rhyme.
6. Poems may be traditional verse, acrostics, bland verse, cinquains, diamond poems or Haiku.
DEADLINES:
Entries to YOUR State Youth Chairman - Observe Your State Deadline.
State Winning Entries to Regional Chairman – January 1, 2010
Regional Winners to National Chairman – February 1, 2010
NATIONAL AWARD: First Place in each grade in each division will receive a Certificate of Commendation.
Click here to download the complete NGC Youth Contest Poetry Rules
NOTE: Only regional winners are considered in the judging for national winners. Contest winners will not be allowed to win in two consecutive years. The winning entries will be compiled into a booklet, which will be made available to the winners.
High School Essay Contest:
The High School Essay Contest is open to all High School students. Each year a $1000 NGC Scholarship will be awarded to the National Winner.
2010 - "Respect the World Around Us"
2011 - "The Environment - Our Responsibility"
CONTEST RULES: Between 500 - 600 words. The entry will be penalized if the essay does not conform to the required length. All words are to be counted. Students should write the essay so it is suitable to be published in the NGC publication, The National Gardener.
ELIGIBILITY - Contests are open to High School students attending 9th through 12th grades. The contest must be sponsored by: single garden club, group of member clubs, councils or districts, or a State Garden Club. All entries become the property of National Garden Clubs, Inc.
A $1000 National Garden Club Scholarship will be awarded to the National Winner. If the Winner is an underclassman, the $1000 Scholarship will be held by NGC, Inc. without accured interest, until such time that the studen enters college. At that time, the money will be forwarded to the Financial Aid Officer of the college that the student will enter. The second place winner will receive $100.00.
Contest Deadlines: Club entries must be sent to the State Chairman. Observe State Deadlines.
State Winners must be sent to Regional Chairman by January 1, 2010 (11)
Regional Winners must be sent to National Chairman by February 1, 2010 (11)
Elva H. Davidson, NGC High School Service Award & Essay Contest Chairman
Click here to download the complete Youth Essay Contest details
High School Speech Contest:
Please note there is NO NGC Speech Contest for the 2007-2009 administration. Watch this space for information about the TGC Speech Award.
Smokey Bear/Woodsy Owl Poster Contest
2010 Poster Contest
Here is what YOU and YOUR students can do to help the environment:
We’re inviting 1st through 5th grade students to demonstrate through original drawings of Smokey Bear or Woodsy Owl their understanding of fire prevention and basic environmental conservation principles.
The Grand Prize National Poster Contest Winner will win a free round trip airfare and accommodations for four to Washington, DC. A $100 U.S. Savings Bond will also be awarded to the First Place National Winners from each grade level sponsored by the National Garden Clubs, Inc.
Poster Rules
- All poster entrees must be sponsored by a local Garden Club.
- Posters must feature Smokey Bear or Woodsy Owl and must not feature both together.
- Smokey Bear posters must be based upon and include, Smokey’s fire prevention message (Only YOU Can Prevent Wildfires!). Woodsy Owl posters must be based upon and include, Woodsy’s conservation message: Lend a Hand – Care for the Land!
- The entry posters should encourage children to take a personal role in preventing wildfires or conserving natural resources.
- Each entry should be 11 x 17 inches in size.
- Materials that can be used include: crayons, markers, poster paints, water colors, etc.
- No three-dimensional posters, computer scanned, or electronically generated images will be accepted!
- The artist’s name, address, home phone number, grade level, school, teacher’s name, city, and State must be printed on the back of the poster in the lower right corner. Each poster must also show the name of the sponsoring local Garden Club. (Do not use a dark marker for this information as it may show through.)
- Posters are to be completed by individual student artists. Competition may include students from 1st to 5th grade.
- The Local Garden Club Chair must submit the poster entries no later than January 20, 2010, to his or her State’s Chair.
- The State Garden Club Chair must submit the five winning posters from his or her State to their Regional Garden Club Chair by February 15, 2010.
Poster Tips
- A good poster has a bold and simple design.
- Its message is delivered both in the picture and in the slogan.
- Its message is easily understood.
- Posters will be judged 20 percent each for originality, design, slogan, artwork, and overall effectiveness of the message.
More Tips for a Successful Poster Contest Participation
- Children will select either one of the icons to enter.
- Since Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl are official icons, protected by Congressional law, the colors of their clothing need to be accurate. Check the colors on the website www.symbols.gov.
- You must follow the rules that include how you identify the poster.
- Please check the spelling. Posters with misspelling errors will be disqualified.
- Approach any group of children: such as scout troops, after school programs, and the like. Just make sure the child’s grade is included, so the participant can compete in their grade category.
- You might even try providing the paper for the contest in order to initiate the program.
- The members of the National Garden Clubs, Inc. can purchase Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl promotional and educational products at the National Symbols Cache web based catalog. Please log on at www.symbols.gov/catalog. Be sure to follow the instructions. To place an order you need a password---please download the More Tips below for the password information.
- Feel free to offer certificate of appreciation to all participants. Certificates are available and downloadable at www.symbols.gov. The National Garden Clubs, Inc. will make certificates at their website also.
- Participating in this contest is an opportunity to encourage conservation, environmental protection, or at least an awareness of nature for children.
- Collaboration between the US Forest Service and the National Garden Clubs, Inc.’s is important. You can contribute to this collaborative effort by completing the form that indicates how many contacts per state were made. It doesn’t matter how many entries your state may have, it is essential for us to know if your state sent materials to twenty children or two hundred. The US Forest Service invests tax payer money in keeping this partnership alive. We need to help them justify the use of these funds by providing an estimate of our outreach efforts with the Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl poster contest.
- The Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl poster contest is one of those opportunities for local Garden Clubs to get out its message. We encourage you to use the contest to promote your club, attract children and their parents, and fulfill one of the goals of the organization that is raise awareness for the caring of the environment.
- Copy your winning posters as they are not returned.
- If you need additional information, please do not hesitate to contact Elaine Dates.
Thank you so much for your support and commitment to our partnership with the US Forest Service.
Poster Rights
All entries will become property of the U.S. Forest Service. Posters will not be returned to contestants. The U.S. Forest Service and the National Garden Clubs, Inc., may use the poster artwork for national educational materials and outreach.
Click here to download the following:
- 2010 Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl Poster Contest Flyer - WORD or PDF
- 2010 Poster Contest Timeline - WORD or PDF
- 2010 More Tips - WORD or PDF
