The Tama Soil & Water Conservation District (SWCD), in partnership with the National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD), is celebrating Stewardship Week from April 30 – May 7, 2023, focusing on the theme “One Water.” But what is a watershed? A watershed is an area of land that channels rainfall and snowmelt to creeks, streams, and rivers, eventually leading to places such as reservoirs, bays, and the ocean. Those bodies of water are all connected, so every drop that falls becomes part of One Water.

Tama SWCD is joining this nationwide celebration with its annual poster contest for students in kindergarten through twelfth grades who are homeschooling or attending public or private schools located in Tama County.

Hand drawn poster categories are available for grades K-1, 2-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12. The students’ posters must be on white paper, cardstock, or poster board and measure between 8½” x 11″ and 22” x 28″. Media used may include paint, crayon, pencil, colored pencil, marker, or charcoal. No 3-D effects are allowed. The 2023 Stewardship theme “One Water” must be included in the artwork, and an entry form signed by a parent or guardian must accompany the poster entry. Hand drawn posters must arrive in the Tama SWCD office at 102 Business Hwy 30W in Toledo by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 28.

Digital poster categories are available for grades K-1, 2-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12. These entries may be horizontal or vertical, measuring 8.5” x 11″. Any mixed media suitable for reproduction as a poster — such as Canva, PicMonkey, Google Slides, Photoshop, InDesign, etc. — is allowed. The artwork must be completely original with no stock images, logos, etc. other than the NACD One Water logo. The poster must be submitted as a 300 dpi JPEG or PNG, and an entry form signed by a parent or guardian must accompany the poster entry. Digital posters must be emailed to melody.bro@ia.nacdnet.net by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, April 28.

One overall winner in the county will receive a $20 award and an airplane ride over their local area. The winner at each grade level in each participating school will receive an award of $10. The SWCD’s countywide winner will be forwarded for regional competition, where the top selections in each grade category will receive $35 awards. Regional winners will be forwarded for statewide competition. Statewide winners will receive $50 awards rather than the regional award. Top statewide selections in each grade category will be forwarded for national consideration. The top three posters in each category of the national contest will receive monetary prizes: first-place winners will receive $200; second place winners will receive $150, and third place winners will receive $100.

For more information about Stewardship Week and conservation, contact Tama SWCD at 641-484-2702, extension 3. Visit the District online at https://www.facebook.com/TamaSWCD/ , Like its page and watch the Stewardship Week celebrations unfold!