The California Association of Resource Conservation Districts (CARCD) Education Committee makes information available to Resource Conservation Districts (RCDs) that wish to enhance their education and outreach to K-12 students who are interested in natural resource management and agricultural issues.
2023 NACD Poster Contest
The 2023 Poster Contest “One Water” is open for submissions until December 1, 2023. Winners will be announced during NACD’s Annual Meeting in February 2024.
The annual NACD and NACD Auxiliary Poster Contest provides students from kindergarten through 12th grade the chance to have their art displayed as part of a national conservation outreach initiative. Each year, the winning posters reflect NACD’s annual Stewardship theme and highlight the work of conservation districts and their state conservation associations, auxiliaries and agencies to protect and enhance natural resources. The contest starts at the district level; winners advance to the state level, and then to the national level, where they receive recognition at NACD’s annual meeting.
The poster contest is open to public, private and home-schooled students. 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. The NACD Auxiliary – through their quilt project proceeds, the Country Store at the NACD Annual Meeting and individual donors – sponsor prizes at the national level. If you have questions, please contact stewardship@nacdnet.org.
NACD and the NACD Auxiliary host an annual Photo Contest, open to all amateur photographers who reside in the U.S. or its territories. Contestants are allowed to enter as many as five photos each year that each fit into one of the following four categories:
- Conservation Practices
- Close-up Conservation
- Conservation in Action
- Agriculture and Conservation Across America
Photos are judged on technical merit and composition. On technical merit, photos will be judged on whether they are well-framed, properly exposed, and sharp/clear. On composition, the photos will be judged on imagination and creativity. One winner will be selected for each category and age division (adults are 19 and older as of December 1, 2023.) Each first place winner at the national level will receive a $100 cash prize. Second place winners will receive $50. The NACD Auxiliary – through their quilt project proceeds, the Country Store at the NACD Annual Meeting and individual donors – sponsor prizes at the national level. Honorable mention award winners will also be selected for each category but will not receive a monetary award.
The 2023 Photo Contest is open for submissions until December 1, 2023.
Questions? Contact NACD at stewardship@nacdnet.org.
2023 High School Speak-Off Contest
The 2023 Speak-Off topic is:
California climate is changing, and groundwater recharge will be important to ensure water for future generations. Are there other natural resource benefits to groundwater recharge projects and how can RCDs help? What local or regional examples can you point to and how have these examples helped your community?
The CARCD Conservation Education Speak-Off is an annual competition designed to help California high school students learn about natural resource issues in their area, build public speaking skills and confidence, and enable conservation practitioners to hear from youth about issues that matter most to them.
With the support of their local RCDs, students compete first at a county level and then regionally for a chance to participate in the final speak-off round at the Annual CARCD Conference in November. Winners and runners-up receive cash awards for their time and effort. Travel to and from these events for the student and chaperone is paid for by their RCD. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three competitors: $300 for first place, $200 for second place, and $100 for third place.