Statewide Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest

Dear Fifth/Sixth Grade Educators:

We invite your students to participate in Illinois EPA’s annual Poster, Poetry, and Prose Contest. The theme of the 2025 competition is “How Can You Slash Your Trash?”, inviting students to think creatively about how to reduce the amount of waste they produce. This could include buying fewer/eliminating single-use products; composting food waste; repairing broken items instead of replacing; and recycling objects that cannot be re-used or repaired.

Each participating student whose work meets the eligibility guidelines and requirements will receive a certificate. Finalists will receive a certificate, a ribbon, and an invitation to the awards ceremony in Springfield (subject to change). The top twelve entries will be displayed on the Illinois EPA website providing recognition for the winning entries as well as promoting the program.

We believe that the creation of posters and written works gives your students an opportunity to express and share what they have learned on a deeper and more personal level using their creative and artistic abilities. The online student exhibition also draws broader attention to the different ways we can all contribute to reducing our environmental impacts.

Additional details about the competition are available for download below. The “Participation Packet” includes the competition rules and required forms that need to be included with each entry. Please see below for more information.

Interested in the Video Contest? Click here for more information.

If you have any questions, please contact Kristi Morris (kristi.morris@illinois.gov) or Eli Dollarhide (eli.dollarhide@illinois.gov). We look forward to receiving your submissions.

Contest Materials:

Participation Packet – Including guidelines, entry and release forms. Please note a signature is required on the release form and all fields must be completed.

Contest Rubric

Exhibit timetable is as follows:

January 2025

Educators introduce one or both of the Illinois EPA’s curriculum units on waste management (see below). Discuss the amount of garbage thrown away individually and collectively, why that causes problems, and how students can reduce the amount of trash thrown away.

January 13-24
Students create posters or written works relating to the theme focus: How can you slash your trash?

January 27-31
Teachers display posters and poems/prose at their schools. Students and faculty vote to select four posters and four written entries to submit to the Illinois EPA for further judging.

February 3
Teachers submit up to eight entries per school to the Illinois EPA for judging. Entries must be submitted electronically by February 3, 2025. Submit entries to EPA.contest@illinois.gov

February 2025
Judging

April 5, 2025
Awards Ceremony held in Springfield

Informational resources can be found on the following web sites: