The deadline for the annual poster contest from the Moose Jaw River Watershed Stewards is closing in, but organizers are encouraging a few more students to consider entering their artwork for a chance to win some cash prizes.
The theme for this year’s contest is “Wetlands and Wildlife,” said watershed technician Stephanie Huel, and she’s inviting elementary students in grades 3 to 6 to submit their own artistic interpretation for a chance to win some prizes at the end of the month.
“There’s definitely still time for people to enter, if they were hoping to this year,” said Huel.
Entries are open until May 28 for both the Grade 3/4 division and Grade 5/6 division, and any students residing within the Moose Jaw River watershed zone — which includes the communities of Mortlach, Drinkwater, Avonlea, Milestone and Pangman — are welcome to send in a submission.
The rural municipalities of Bengough and Excel are also eligible to enter the contest, as they fall under the care of the Moose Jaw stewards.
Poster winners will be given a first-place prize of $50 and a second-place prize of $25 in both categories, and will be featured on the Moose Jaw River Watershed Stewards’ social media pages.
First-place posters will also head on to the provincial level, competing against other regional winners for a chance at a $500 grand prize, determined at the Saskatchewan Association of Watersheds AGM in June.
The provincial watershed regions host the poster contest every year, with the goal to spark some interest in the importance of knowing about one’s local watershed area.
Usually, watershed technicians like Huel get to actually visit classrooms to talk about the contest and the local watershed region, but this year she’s doing what she can virtually. She’s looking forward to seeing all the submissions this year, especially since the poster contest is a great way to put out an interactive message about wetlands stewardship.
“We really like seeing kid’s favourite animals and how they picture a thriving wetland,” said Huel. “And it's good to get kids thinking about what the wetlands look like. Maybe they don’t know what a wetland is, so it gives them the opportunity to really look around.”
For Moose Jaw’s local watershed executive director Carmen Kaweski, the poster contest is a great opportunity for younger students to do some research on watersheds and learn some new facts about the area they live in.
“[Contests like these] really help us engage with the committees within our watershed,” said Kaweski. “We want to remind people about the importance of wetlands, and that when you have a healthy watershed, you have healthy wetlands and in turn, a habitat for wildlife [and] it's a fun activity for kids to do a little research.”
For students interested in taking part in this year’s poster contest, entry forms and instructions are available on the Moose Jaw River Watershed Stewards website.
Submissions can be texted to Huel at 1 (306) 630-5574, emailed to admin@mjriver.ca, or hand-delivered to the watershed office.
Photos or scans of posters are fine, said Huel, but winners heading on to the provincial competition will need to provide the original copy of their poster at that time.
For more information about the “Wetlands and Wildlife” poster contest, check the details online here.
