Calendar and Deadlines

Poster Contest Objectives

1. Teach today's children - tomorrow's leaders- about the importance of trees in our lives.
2. Recognize childrens' creativity and show them how they can help the environment.
3. Provide Utah educators with teaching materials about trees and their value in our environment.

Requirements

1. Eligibility: All Utah students in grades K-6 plus Special Education* are eligible to enter their schools' poster contest. Each school may submit one poster per grade to the State Arbor Day Contest. (See Contest Levels.)
2. Theme: Include the theme, "Trees are Terrific... in Cities and Towns!" in the poster design. The theme must be free drawn and spelled correctly. Stencils, computer-generated letters and press-on letters are not acceptable.
3. Instructions for Principals
4. Entry forms: (These forms can be filled out using Adobe Reader)
   1. School Registration Form Can be submitted by email using the email button on form.
   2. Poster Entry Form
   3. School Report Form
5. Official Rules
6. Arbor Day Brochure

You need Adobe Reader to view pdf files. You can download it for free at the Adobe website.

Grade Levels

There are seven grade levels in the poster contest: Kindergarten, first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth grades. Plus a Special Education* category.

Regions

• Northern region: Rich, Cache, Box Elder, Weber, Morgan and Davis counties.
• Central region: Tooele, Salt Lake and Utah counties.
• Eastern region: Summit, Wasatch, Duchesne, Daggett, Uintah, Carbon Emery, Grand, Wayne and San Juan counties.
• Southern region: Millard, Juab, Sanpete, Piute, Sevier, Beaver, Kane, Washington, Garfield and Iron counties.

Contest Levels

• School Contests: Each school must arrange for judging and prizes in its individual school contest. Each school may submit only one poster from each grade, K-6 and Special Ed*, to the Utah Arbor Day Committee.
• Regional Contests: State Arbor Day judges will select one region winner for each grade, K-6. One of these will be judged best of region.
• State Contest: Regional winners will be finalists in the state contest. Judges will select a statewide winner for each grade. Judges will choose a grand prize winner from the seven statewide winners.
• National Contest: The Utah state fifth grade winning poster will be entered in the National Arbor Day Poster Contest.

Deadlines

• School Registrations: Schools must register for the Utah Arbor Day Contest by February 5, 2009.
• School Contests: Schools administer poster contest to determine best posters for each grade level.
• State/Regional Contest: Schools must submit winning posters by March 23, 2009 to:

  Utah Arbor Day Committee
  Division of Forestry, Fire & State Lands
  1594 W North Temple Suite 3520
  PO Box 145703
  Salt Lake City, UT 84114-5703

  For further information contact Meridith Perkins at 801-538-5505 or meridithperkins@utah.gov

Judging

Impartial judges for the regional and state contests are selected by the Utah Arbor Day Committee. Winners will be notified the week of April 1-4, 2008. Judging is based on the following criteria:

• Theme: How well the theme "Trees are Terrific... in Cities and Towns!" is used in the poster.
• Design: Originality, composition, color and technique.
• Suitability for Reproduction: The grand prize poster will be professionaly printed for statewide and national distribution. Bright colors, clear lettering and good spelling are important.

Prizes

School Prizes (Home schools are not eligible for school prizes)

• Best of Region (four): $500 for each winner's school.
• All Participating Schools: $50 tree coupon to purchase and plant a tree as part of school Arbor Day celebration

Student Prizes

• State Grand Prize: Nursery Gift Card, Award of Excellence and other prizes. Utah's grand prize poster will be professionally printed and sent to schools and Arbor Day celebrations throught the state.
• State First Place: Nursery Gift Cards, Award of Excellence and other prizes.
• Regional First Place: Nursery Gift Cards, Certificate of Achievement and other prizes.
• All Regional Entries: Honorable Mention Certificate.

Utah Arbor Day Ceremonies

State first place winners and the grand prize winner will be invited to participate in the state Arbor Day ceremony on April 24, 2009. Best of Region winners will be recognized at their school celebration. All winners artwork will be highlighted on our website.