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Creative Conservation Contests for Students
Inspiring Students Through Conservation Education & Creativity
The Pitt County Soil & Water Conservation District partners with the North Carolina Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts (NCASWCD) to offer annual education contests that inspire students to explore the connections between soil, water, air, plants, and wildlife. Through art, writing, and public speaking, students learn how conservation affects daily life while developing leadership and communication skills.
Each contest follows a statewide theme, and local winners advance to Area and State competitions with opportunities for recognition and scholarships. By participating, students turn classroom lessons into real-world understanding, building creativity, civic awareness, and environmental stewardship.
- Contests take place during the school year.
- District winners advance to Area contests; Area winners advance to State.
- Rules and deadlines are shared annually with Pitt County schools and educators.
- Students may enter through their school or directly through the Pitt County Soil & Water Conservation District.
For More Information,
Call 252-902-1751
2025–2026 Theme: We All Live in a Watershed
This theme encourages students to explore how everyone’s actions affect water quality and the health of local streams, rivers, and lakes. It emphasizes that a watershed is more than just water, it includes land, soil, plants, and communities that work together as one system.
Understanding Watersheds
A watershed is an area of land where all the rain and water that falls drains into the same place, like a stream, river, or lake. You can think of it like a big bowl: when water lands anywhere inside, it flows downhill to one common point.
Everything we do on the land affects the water in our watershed. When it rains, water can pick up soil, leaves, trash, or chemicals and carry them into nearby streams. That means the way we take care of the land, in our yards, farms, schools, and neighborhoods, helps keep our water clean.
Healthy watersheds protect drinking water, support fish and wildlife, and make outdoor spaces safer and more beautiful. Simple actions, like planting trees, reducing litter, and using less fertilizer, can make a big difference.
No matter where you live, you are part of a watershed!
Upcoming Themes
- 2026–2027: Soil & Water… Yours for Life
- 2027–2028: The Living Soil
- 2028–2029: Water… The Cycle of Life
- 2029–2030: Wetlands Are Wonderful
Poster Contest (Grades 3–5)
Students create an original 22"x28" informative and colorful poster illustrating the annual theme and the importance of soil and water conservation. Entries are judged on conservation message, visual impact, and originality. Local winners move on to regional and state levels, where cash prizes and certificates are awarded.
Essay Contest (Grades 6–8)
The essay contest challenges students to research and explain how conservation practices protect natural resources. Essays are judged on content accuracy, writing quality, and understanding of the annual theme. Winning essays at the county level are eligible for regional and state recognition.
Computer-Designed Poster Contest (Grades 6–8)
This contest gives middle-school students a chance to combine conservation knowledge with digital design skills. Posters should reflect the annual theme and demonstrate originality, clarity, and impact. Entries are judged separately from hand-drawn posters.
Public Speaking Contest (Grades 7–9)
Students deliver a short speech based on the year’s theme, focusing on real-world conservation challenges and solutions. This contest helps participants build confidence and public speaking skills while deepening their understanding of soil and water stewardship.
Slide Show / Digital Presentation Contest (Grades 9–12)
High school students create a digital presentation that communicates the conservation message visually and verbally. Creativity, technical skill, and environmental understanding are all key judging criteria. Top entries may receive state recognition or cash awards.
Judging Information for Environmental Education Contests
Each contest is judged using the official North Carolina Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts score sheets.
Poster Contest
- Conservation Message – 50%
- Visual Effectiveness – 25%
- Universal Appeal – 10%
- Originality – 10%
- Hand-Drawn Elements – 5%
Deductions: –5 points for copyright violations or exceeding the 24" × 36" size limit.
Computer-Designed Poster Contest
- Conservation Message – 50%
- Visual Effectiveness – 25%
- Originality – 15%
- Technical Quality – 10%
Deductions: –5 points for copyright violations, blurry or unreadable designs, or use of uncredited graphics.
Essay Contest
- Content Accuracy – 40%
- Composition & Organization – 30%
- Grammar, Spelling & Mechanics – 20%
- Neatness & Presentation – 10%
Length Requirement: 300–500 words. Essays that exceed the limit may lose points.
Public Speaking Contest
- Speech Content – 50%
- Delivery & Voice – 25%
- Organization – 15%.
- Stage Presence – 10%
Time Limit: 4–6 minutes. Points may be deducted for going under or over the time limit. Visual aids, props, or costumes are not permitted.
Slide Show / Digital Presentation Contest
- Conservation Message – 50%
- Visual Design – 25%
- Organization & Flow – 15%
- Originality – 10%
Requirements: Limit to 15 slides and under 5 minutes in length. Videos are not permitted; animation and sound are allowed when used appropriately.