Jim Claypool Art & Conservation Writing Contests

Students are encouraged to submit creative writing and art entries for the annual conservation writing and art contests sponsored by Kentucky Farm Bureau and the Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts (KACD). The contest information will be available in August/September of 2018.

**Attention Art, English and Science Teachers**

Just as the new school year has begun so does the search for Louisville Metro’s most talented writers and artists. Students are encouraged to submit creative writing and art entries for the annual conservation writing and art contests sponsored by Kentucky Farm Bureau and the Kentucky Association of Conservation Districts (KACD).

This year’s writing contest (grades 6-12) and the Jim Claypool Conservation art contest (grades 1-5) is titled “Diggin it!” While creativity is a key component to the contests, students will be challenged think about how soil is essential to life on Earth. What students can do to persuade others in their communities to help promote soil conservation or propose a solution to soil quality or conservation issues. Student’s entries should persuade readers and viewers to take action toward applying good soil conservation practices in their backyards and neighborhoods.

The Conservation District has a limited supply of the full-color, newspaper-type tabloid (attached). If you would like copies of the printed tabloid for your students, they are available on a “first come first serve” basis until our supply is exhausted. Please email your name, school and the number of tabloids you are requesting and they will be held for pickup at 4233 Bardstown Road, Suite 100-A or it may possible that we can deliver. They should be available in the next couple weeks. I will send an email to everyone who requested the tabloids when they are available for pickup.

The contests materials are attached, but may also be downloaded at: http://conservation.ky.gov/Pages/ArtandWritingContest.aspx

Please read the contest rules carefully that are printed in the tabloid.

Each school’s top 3 entries must be mailed or delivered to the Conservation District by December 1st. Complete the Principal’s Report (attached) to submit with your top 3 entries.

In addition to the awards listed on the attached flyer, the Conservation District also provides: all school winners with a t-shirt and 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place certificates. County winners, in each contest, receive 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place medallions and monetary awards. Awards will be presented in the spring of 2019!

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Below is information about another conservation poster contest. Contact me if you are interested in participating in this contest as well.

The 2018 Stewardship theme for the NACD Poster contest is “Watersheds: Our Water, Our Home.”

(Please note that this is a separate contest from the Conservation Art and Writing contest)

The annual NACD poster contest provides students from kindergarten through 12th grade the chance to have their art displayed as part of a national conservation outreach initiative. The top three posters in each category of the national contest will receive monetary prizes. National Contest- First: $200, Second $150, and Third $100. The contest is open to public, private and home-schooled students. For more information, including an educator’s guide and materials flyer, you can visit the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Website: http://www.nacdnet.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/2018-NACD-Poster-Contest-Rules.pdf.

Local and State Entry: All entries at the local level contest must be submitted with a Local to State Form, (attached) by the due dates set by your local conservation district. All poster submissions must be sponsored by your local conservation district.

Local Conservation Districts must have winning posters and a Local and State Form, submitted to KACD and received by Friday, November 9, 2018 to 1505 Richmond Road Irvine, KY 40336.