Contests & Awards
Annual Poster Contest
Theme: “Soil. Where it all Begins”
-
Open to all public, private and homeschool students in grades K-12
Each poster must be created by an individual student, not a team of students.
The theme “Soil. Where it all begins” must be included on the front side of each poster.
The back of each poster must have student’s name, grade level, teacher’s name, school and parent or guardian signature.
Any media may be used to create flat or two dimensional effect including paint, crayons, colored pencils, charcoal, paper, or other materials.
Posters must be made on poster board, please contact the NPCD office if financial assistance with purchasing poster boards is needed.
60 lb. paper and 11" x 17" is the suggested size for posters, however the district will accept any size over 8.5" x 11".
-
Schools and organizations will hold poster contests no later than March 2026, teachers and organization leaders are to choose first and second place winners form each grade category for their school or organization.
All entries must be submitted to NPCD office by Monday, April 6th, 2026.
NPCD will hold district contest on Thursday, April 9th, 2026. The district will select a first place winner from each grade level.
Winnings posters will advance to the state competition and will be announced in October 2026.
-
District First Place Winners receive $30
District Second Place Winners receive $20
Classroom Teacher or Organization Leaders receive $25
Annual Photo Contest
-
Open to amateur photographers only (those who earn less than 50% of their income from photography).
Participants must be residents of the United States or its territories.
Each participant may submit up to five photographs.
Photos submitted will not be returned.
-
Conservation Practices
Close Up Conservation
Conservation in Action
Ag/Conservation Across America
-
1st Place: $75
2nd Place: $50
3rd Place: $25
Winning photos will be displayed at the 2026 WV Partnership Conference.
The state-level winners will have their photos sent to the National Association of Conservation Districts for national judging.
Samara Program
-
The Samara Conservation Program is a test to be given to 6th grade students in the spring to determine their knowledge of conservation. The test contains 60 multiple-choice questions, which address specific learning outcomes through a wide range of environmental topics. Students must use interpretive and reasoning skills in answering questions that often include charts, graphs and diagrams. This test is not designed as one that students should cram for, but rather as an exercise to complement your environmental science unit.
-
Contact the NPCD Office by March 27th to order test booklets.
-
The top three scores in each school will earn 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbons and cash prizes of $30, $20, and $10. A plaque will be given to the school with the highest average in the district. Each participating teacher will receive $25.
WV Envirothon
-
The West Virginia Envirothon is a conservation education program and competition for students in grades 9 through 12. The West Virginia Envirothon focuses on five subject areas: aquatics, forestry, soils, wildlife, and a current environmental topic. By participating in the Envirothon program students learn about West Virginia's diverse ecosystem and how they can help conserve and protect it for future generations.
-
To participate in the West Virginia Envirothon, you must first put together a team of five students and one adult advisor/chaperone. Teams can be created through school clubs, home school groups, classes, 4-H groups, scout troops, etc. The next step is to register your team for the upcoming West Virginia Envirothon, get your study materials and prepare for the competition. Teams are tested on their natural resource knowledge, skills, and problem-solving abilities.
-
Station Awards
All teams are eligible
Station Awards will be presended as follows:
For the purpose of stimulating conservation and environmental education, students will be awarded $250 per team for the highest team score at each station. The stations include Forestry, Aquatics, Soils, Wildlife and current 5th topic.
For the purpose of stimulating conservation and Environmental education within the classroom, $250 will be awarded to the station winner's Advisor/Teacher. The stations include Forestry, Aquatics, Soils, Wildlife and current 5th topic.
Awards will be presented to the top scoring team in each subject category: Wildlife, Aquatics, Forestry, Soils and current 5th topic.
Ties will be settled by a tie breaker question or questions presented at each testing site, Aquatics, Forestry, Wildlife, Soils and current 5th topic.
Rookie Team Award
Awarded to the highest-scoring first-year competing team in the amount of $600 for the team, broken down to $100 per member and $100 to the Coach.
WV Century Farm Program
-
The West Virginia Century Farm Program is designed to recognize those families who have been farming the same tract of land for at least 100 years. Century Farms, Sesquicentennial Farms and Bicentennial Farms and Sestercentennial Farms will be recognized. A Century Farm is one that has been in continuous operation by the same family for at least 100 years. A Sesquicentennial Farm has been in continuous operation by the same family for at least 150 years. A Bicentennial Farm has been in continuous operation by the same family for at least 200 years, and a Sestercentennial Farm has been in continuous operation by the same family for at least 250 years.
A family member must have lived on the farm or must have been an integral part of the day-to-day operation of the farm enterprise. The farm must consist of at least 10 acres of the original holdings and gross more than $1,000 annually from farm products. Line of ownership from the first family member owning the land may be through wives, husbands, children, brothers, sisters, nephews, or nieces. -
Applications are due to the NPCD Office by Monday, March 2nd, 2026. All applications will be submitted to the state by Wednesday, April 1st, 2026.