Following the success of last year’s National Chemistry Week poem contest, we invite all young poets to enter our next illustrated poem contest celebrating Earth Day. The theme is “Climate Science – More than Just a Weather Report”. Please help us spread the word by sharing the attached flyer with a local school, or maybe one that your child or grandchild attends. Deadline for entries is April 20th. Contact Cindy Castronovo at ccastron@comcast.net for additional information.
Illustrated Poem Contest Flyer
Illustrated Poem Contest Entry Form
FIrst place winners of our local competition are then forwarded on to the national competition. ACS will award $300 to four first-place and $150 to four second-place winners representing the following grade categories: K-2nd grade; 3rd-5th grade; 6th-8th grade; 9th-12th grade. On Wednesday, May 13, these eight winners at the national level will be announced online.
General Contest Rules:
All poems must be no more than 40 words, and in one of the following styles to be considered:
- Haiku
- Limerick
- Ode
- ABC poem
- Free verse
- End rhyme
- Blank verse
Entries are judged based upon relevance to and incorporation of the CCED theme (“Climate Science—More Than Just A Weather Report!”), word choice and imagery, colorful artwork, adherence to poem style, originality and creativity, and overall presentation.
All entries must be original works without aid from others. Each poem must be submitted and illustrated on an unlined sheet of paper (of any type) not larger than 11” x 14”. The illustration must be created by hand using crayons, watercolors, other types of paint, colored pencils, or markers. The text of the poem should be easy to read and may be printed with a computer, before the hand-drawn illustration is added, or the poem may be written on lined paper which is cut out and pasted onto the unlined paper with the illustration.
Only one entry per student will be accepted.
All entries must include an entry form.
All illustrated poems and/or digital representations of the poems become the property of the American Chemical Society.
Acceptance of prizes constitutes consent to use winners’ names, likenesses, and entries for editorial, advertising, and publicity purposes.
Bill Miller is a Councilor of the Sacramento Section of the ACS. He also teaches chemistry at Sacramento City College.