FireWise children’s art contest announced
Youth on the Kenai Peninsula in grades kindergarten through fifth are encouraged to break out the colored pencils, paints and markers this month, get FireWise and win an iPod Shuffle.
A poster contest on the theme “Fires in the Forest and Houses in the Forest: What Can We Do” is sponsored this month by Alaska Division of Forestry and the Kenai Peninsula Borough. Winners in each of three age categories will be publicly recognized for their efforts, and their artwork will be used in a variety of settings, including a mural, posters, educational materials and placemats in restaurants across the Peninsula.
Age divisions are Kindergarten and first grade (Little Spotters), Second and Third grade (Little Jumpers), and Fourth and Fifth grade (Jr. Hot Shots.)
Contest deadline is May 16 with winners announced May 23. Artwork can be between 8.5-by-11 inches and 16-by-22 inches and should be on stiff paper or cardboard. All artwork should be identified in the upper left corner with the artist’s first and last name, age and grade level, school or student’s address and phone number.
Submissions can be sent to Alaska Division of Forestry, 42499 Sterling Highway, Soldotna, Alaska, 99669. For more information, contact the Kenai Peninsula FireWise Team at (907) 260-4262 or visit www.firewisekp.com and click on the poster contest link.
contest rules
2008 FireWise “Design a Poster” Contest Competition
Sponsored by the Alaska Division of Forestry and the Kenai Peninsula Borough
Theme: Fires in the Forest & Houses in the Forest: What Can We Do?
Contest Objectives
- to bring awareness to elementary school children and their families of fire danger and prevention in the urban/wildland interface
- to generate featured artwork for a large ceramic tile mural, to be created and installed in 2008 on the Kenai Peninsula
- to provide illustrations for Alaska Division of Forestry communication materials
- to provide artwork for placemats to be used in restaurants Peninsula-wide during the 2008 summer season
- to assist educators in teaching wildfire awareness and prevention
Divisions
Little Spotters: Kindergarten & First Grade
Little Jumpers: Second & Third Grade
Jr. Hot Shots: Fourth & Fifth Grade
One first-place and one runner-up will be selected from each grade level for a total of 12 winning posters.
Contest Rules
Entries will be judged on the following:
1. Eligibility: Who is eligible to participate?
Students in grades K – 5 enrolled in public, charter, private and home school students on the Kenai Peninsula are invited to design and submit a poster to the Alaska Division of Forestry.
2. Content: What should the posters depict?
Art and slogans will reflect the 2008 theme. Originality and overall creativity (combined effectiveness of the slogan, design, art work and the fire prevention message conveyed) will all be considered.
3. Format: Guidelines
- Size: no larger than 16”x 22” nor smaller than 8 ½ inches by 11 inches on stiff paper or cardboard (allowing the poster may be placed on an easel for judging).
- Materials: Any medium is permissible, but 3-D designs are not acceptable.
- Identification: In black ballpoint pen only, please include the following on the back side in the upper left corner:
Artist’s first and last name
Age & grade level
School or student’s address & phone number
The use of copyrighted cartoon characters and/or photographs is not permissible. All submissions become the property of the Alaska Division of Forestry.
Judging & Winners’ Recognition
1. How will the winners be recognized?
Certificates will be issued to each artist whose poster is used in any of the Division of Forestry objectives outlined above.
2 When will the posters be judged?
Judging will take place by May 21, 2008. Judges will include the Division of Forestry personnel and local fire officials.
3.How will the winners be notified?
Division of Forestry personnel will notify winners by telephone call or letter by May 22, 2008.
Deadline for Submission
Friday, May 16, 2008 4 p.m. Submissions may be delivered or mailed to:
Alaska Division of Forestry
42499 Sterling Highway
Soldotna, Alaska 99669
For more information, contact the Kenai Peninsula FireWise Team: 907-260-4262.
Poster Hints
1. Stick to the theme.
2. Convey a message.
3. If cut-outs are used, paste on firmly.
4. Stencil lettering is not as effective as neat hand lettering.
5. Do not use fragile paper or pale or translucent colors or media (chalk, light-colored colored pencils). Use opaque media such as markers, Tempera paint, crayons or oil pastels.
6. Teachers are encouraged to help contestants adhere to the rules.
Educator Information
Dear Educator:
As we shared a few weeks ago, wildfire season is approaching, and this April and early May, the Alaska Division of Forestry/Kenai Peninsula Borough FireWise Team wants to work with you to help your students become “fire wise” and invite them to design and submit a poster for the 2008 poster contest, “Fires in the Forest and Houses in the Forest: What Can We Do?” The deadline is May 16 and the contest rules are attached.
Concurrently, we are also encouraging all K-5 teachers to check out our online resources for an in-class FireWise unit on wildland fire dynamics and safety. Developing early and ongoing awareness of wildland fire’s threats to homes and property, as well as fire’s ecological role, is sound preparation for any kid’s future. We encourage students to create materials in class that can be brought home to discuss FireWise planning with their parents. So break out the laptop projector and check out a wealth of information including videos, printable/downloadable materials, interactive graphics and more, and access specific tabs located in the official FireWise website: http://www.firewise.org/fw_youcanuse/index.htm
This URL takes you to a section of the website that includes online courses that would be great in conjunction with science and are suitable for most grades. Examples of some of the topics covered include: Dynamics of Wildfire (presentation with captions and interactive graphics); Fuel/Heat/Oxygen Triangle; Fire Behavior Triangle; Fuels and Fire Path; Topography and Weather; Fire Types.
These chapters can be very effectively combined with “Wildfire Approaching,” “Preparing a Home for Wildfire Season” and the virtual reality tour, “Explore a FireWise Home” http://www.firewise.org/fw_youcanuse/learningcenter/courseinfo.htm to provide kids a “take-home” resource offering powerful and practical information, such as a downloadable tip/checklist, to help their parents make their home and property fire wise: http://www.firwise.org/fw_youcanuse/app/approach.pdf
You’ll also want to check out the site’s online courses in FireWise Landscaping at: http://www.firewise.org/fw_youcanuse/learningcenter/courseinfo.htm And be sure to access the site’s educators’ tab, http://www.firewise.org/fw_educators/index.htm for online curricula. How Wild Fires Work is especially interesting, as is the link to Nova’s Fire Wars.
You may also request a tour of Kenai-Kodiak Area Forestry, or a classroom visit from the FireWise Team, who can speak to your class and distribute various hand-out/take-home materials for kids and their parents.
Sincerely,
Judy Reese, FireWise Team Leader
Sharon Kilbourn-Roesch, Fire Prevention Officer
Alaska Division of Forestry
Phone: 907-260-4262