Blair County Conservation District has announced its annual conservation poster contest for 2006.
Through the contest, area students artistically express their views about conservation. This year’s poster theme is the theme of the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) Soil and Water Stewardship Week: “Water Wise”. The theme encourages people to learn about water, conserve water and be water-wise.
According to the National Association of Conservation District’s website, “Water is vital to our life. Water makes up more than 60 percent of our body, and about 75 percent of our brain.
“Water helps make possible our every movement, thought, and feeling.
“All our food and most other products we use require water.”
It also said it takes about 4,000 gallons of water to grow a bushel of corn and about 11,000 gallons for a bushel of wheat.
Water can sometimes be taken for granted and may become increasingly scarce as more demands are placed on fresh water supplies.
To ensure future water supplies, everyone needs to learn about water resources, and plan to use them carefully. To help achieve this goal, NACD has chosen \”Water Wise\” as the theme for the 2006 Soil and Water Stewardship Week celebration.
To help spread the word about water conservation, Blair County students in grades K-12 in public or private schools, or who are home schooled, are invited to design and enter posters related to this theme.
Poster entries are divided into five grade categories: Kindergarten and first grade, second and third grade, fourth through sixth grade, seventh through ninth grade and 10th through 12th grade.
Judging of posters is based on interpretation of the conservation theme, originality, visual effectiveness, quality in relation to grade level, and universal appeal. Monetary prizes are awarded for first, second and third place winners.
This year the poster contest will be co-sponsored by the Altoona City Authority, providers of drinking water and wastewater treatment for most of Blair County. The Authority will help to promote the contest and offer additional prizes for student winners.
First place posters are submitted for statewide judging by the Pennsylvania Association of Conservation Districts; and the state winners will compete in a national contest sponsored by NACD.
Last year nearly 200 students from five schools participated in the Blair County poster contest. The conservation district was pleased to receive so many creative entries. Fourth grader Mark Frederick from Altoona Central Catholic received his second state level award in two years. Mark’s poster entry had also gone on to win a national award in 2004.
Posters need to be completed and returned to the Blair Conservation District office by 4 p.m., Friday, May 5. For complete details and contest rules, or for information about other educational programs, contact the Blair County Conservation District at 696-0877 ext. 5 or check the website at www.blairconservationdistrict.org.
Additional information on the theme is at Stewardship Website, http://stewardshipweek.com/.
