Now accepting submissions for the 2026 Poster Contest! Submit your design to Headwaters SWCD by Friday, October 9, 2026.

ALL submissions MUST be sent to Headwaters SWCD for local judging by October 9, 2026. The winners will be forwarded to the VASWCD office for state judging.

Helpful Links:
VASWCD
Rules
Entry Form
Lesson Plans & Stewardship Week Guide

This year’s poster theme is: “Soil. Where it all Begins.”

Prizes

State winners receive recognition and a prize from the VASWCD.   The 1st place poster in each category will be submitted to the National Association of Conservation Districts’ Poster Contest. The top three posters in each category of the national contest will receive monetary prizes

About

The annual Conservation Poster Contest provides kindergarten through twelfth grade students an opportunity to convey their thoughts about soil, water, and related natural resource issues through art. It also highlights the educational outreach efforts of conservation districts and their state conservation associations, auxiliaries and agencies. The poster contest theme follows the annual NACD Stewardship theme.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS TO HEADWATERS SWCD IS OCTOBER 9, 2026.

Each year, the poster contest starts at the district level and moves on to the state level. The Headwaters SWCD will forward our local winning poster entries to the VASWCD office for consideration at the state level. Local SWCDs need to submit these poster winners to the VASWCD for consideration by October 16, 2026. Virginia state winners will advance to the National Contest. National winners are recognized each year at the NACD Annual Meeting.

Any Girl Scout or Boy Scout who creates a poster and submits it to their local SWCD for judging can earn the VASWCD Poster Contest Patch.  When submitting a poster to earn the Poster Contest Patch, be sure to check the box on the entry form.  Please note that poster patches are distributed in December each year. For more information about the VASWCD Poster Contest Patch check our Scout Patch Program.

If you have any questions, please contact Loren Ramos, Education & Outreach Coordinator, at lramos@co.augusta.va.us.