Illinois EPA sponsors annual competition for fifth
and sixth grade students

Agency encourages youth to be creative on how they
can help
to protect land resources

Springfield – Director John Kim invites fifth and
sixth grade writers and artists from around Illinois
to compete in this year’s Poster, Poetry and Prose
Contest sponsored by the Illinois Environmental
Protection Agency (Illinois EPA). “Through programs
such as this, students will learn how to be good
environmental stewards and they, in turn, can educate
and influence the actions of others,” said Director
Kim.

This year’s study focuses on the importance of
preventing land pollution and preserving land
resources with “Lending a Hand to Protect Our
Precious Land!” as the event’s theme. The contest,
which coincides with the environmental education
packet, Environmental Pathways – Youth Investigating
Pollution Issues in Illinois, gives students an
opportunity to express and share, on a deeper and
more personal level, what they have learned about the
importance of protecting our air, land and water. The
student exhibit also draws attention to environmental
issues. This free teacher’s guide meets the criteria
of the North American Association for Environmental
Education’s, Environmental Education Materials:
Guidelines for Excellence, and is correlated with the
Illinois Leaning Standards.

Each school can enter up to eight (four posters and
four written) works. Entries must be postmarked and
sent in to the Illinois EPA by February 1, 2013. An
in-house panel from the Illinois EPA judges all
entries to select the finalists, whose entries are
then judged by an outside panel of authorities to
determine the top twelve winners. Following the
awards ceremony and reception, these entries will be
on exhibit in the atrium of the Illinois EPA’s
headquarters building in Springfield from March 25
through April 26, and the top winners will be
featured on the Illinois EPA’s homepage at
www.epa.state.il.us.

All finalists, together with their families and
teachers, are invited to an awards ceremony and
reception that will be held on March 23 at the Old
State Capitol Historic Site in Springfield. During
the 1840s and 1850s, the Old State Capitol was the
scene of debate over issues that led the nation to
war in 1861. During the Civil War, as the seat of
government, it was the center of the state’s wartime
mobilization. The capitol also provided space for
local events aiding the needs of local residents as
well as soldier relief efforts.

Information about the annual event can be obtained by
contacting Kristi Morris, Environmental Education
Coordinator for the Illinois EPA, at 217-558-7198, or
by mail at 1021 North Grand Avenue E., P.O. Box
19276, Springfield, IL 62794 9276.

This e-mail is a service of the State of Illinois.
If you have any questions about this e-mail or the
attached document, please contact the Illinois Office
of Communication and Information (IOCI), Room 611,
Stratton Office Building, Springfield, Illinois
62706, (217) 558-1548.