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New Mexico State University
WERC's annual Art and Essay Contest on the Environment invites students from 6th through 12th grades to express their opinions and viewpoints on any aspect of the environment through different forms of creativity. Click on the links on the left side of this page to see last year's winning essays and the calendar of winning artwork.

Essay Contest

Note: DATES EXTENDED!

The essay contest for high school students has two categories:

  • novice, grades 6-9
  • expert, grades 10-12

First place winners in each category receive a $200 U.S. Savings Bond. Second place winners are awarded a $100 U.S. Savings Bond.

Essay Contest Rules

  1. Format essay on 8 1/2" x 11" paper (Margins set to 1", 12-point font*, single spaced). Do not use "fancy" fonts.
  2. Limit essay to 1,500 words. (No more than 3 pages)
  3. Number each page on the bottom right corner.
  4. At the top left side of the first page, type:
    • writer's name
    • school name
    • grade
    • teacher's name
    • school address
    • school telephone number
  5. Type the writer's name and the school name at the bottom of the last page.
  6. The title of the essay must be on the first page and in the upper left hand corner of subsequent pages.
  7. The essay can relate to any aspect of the environment. (No drawings or poems, please.)
  8. Entries become the property of WERC and will not be returned.
  9. All work must be original. Plagiarized work will be disqualified.
  10. Entries must arrive at the WERC office by 5:00 pm on February 15, 2008.
Mail to: WERC, Essay Contest
Box 30001, MSC WERC
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001
Fax to: 575.646.5474
Email to: werc@nmsu.edu

For more information, contact:
werc@nmsu.edu
(800) 523-5996
 


Art Contest

The art contest is held for students in grades 3-5 and 6-8. Contest submissions for the art contest are judged on creativity, relation to an aspect of the environment and overall design. Winners of the contest have their artwork published in one of the two on-line calendars.

Art Contest Rules

  1. Artwork of any media (drawing, painting, coloring, photograph, photo-collage, mixed media, or computer generated art) may be submitted. All work must be on 8 1/2" x 11" paper in a horizontal format.
  2. Limit work to one page or one photo. No more than one entry per student.
  3. Submission must be of original artwork. (Not a photocopy)
  4. A separate page must be taped to the backside which includes:
    • student's name
    • teacher's name
    • school name
    • grade
    • school address
    • school telephone number
    • title of the work
  5. Artwork and photographs can relate to any aspect of the environment.
  6. Up to 25 words may be used in artwork.
  7. Entries become the property of WERC. Submissions will not be returned.
  8. Entries must arrive at the WERC office by November 30, 2007. Mail to:

WERC, Art Contest
Box 30001, MSC WERC
New Mexico State University
Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001

For more information, contact:
werc@nmsu.edu
(800) 523-5996 or 575-646-2038