Youth Contests

Smokey the Bear and Woodsy Poster Contest

Children from first through fifth grade are invited to participate in the National Garden Clubs, Inc. Poster Contest! The 2024 Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl poster contest is dedicated to Smokey Bear’s 80th Birthday so only posters with Smokey Bear will be accepted this year.

Download the USDA Forest Service Poster Contest Rules to learn how to participate.

Learn more about the history of the poster contest here.

View the 2024 Winners!


1st Grade – Bak Arot
Taunton Garden Club/GCF of MA

2nd Grade – Persiah Figueiredo
Taunton Garden Club/GCF of MA

3rd Grade – Vera Vigneault
Barrington Garden Club/RIFGC

4th Grade – Adelyn Bush
Barrington Garden Club/RIFGC

5th Grade – Vivian Vigneault
Barrington Garden Club/RIFGC


Youth Poetry Contest

2023-2024 Theme: “I Spy With My Little Eye, Something Green Outside – Celebrating Our Green World”

Excite and encourage our Youth to express and explore their creative thoughts through different types of poetry. NGC’s Poetry Contest enables our Youth to embrace their creativity through the art of writing. Children in Kindergarten through ninth grade are eligible for this contest. All the winning entries will be compiled into a booklet which will be made available to the winners.

2023-2024 Contest Guidelines

Club entries must be sent to YOUR State’s Youth Chairperson; observe your State Deadline. State Winners must be sent to Regional Chairperson by February 1, 2024. Regional Winners must be sent to National Chairperson by March 1, 2024.

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NEGC Poetry Contest Winners:

1st Grade – Benjamin Sawyer
North Reading Garden Club/GCF of MA

Things I See in the Garden

Green 

Rabbits 

Apples 

Sun 

Soggy

——

2nd Grade – Melanie Dean
Franklin Garden Club/GCF of MA

Spring Green

Sunny sunlight in the night. 

Pulling weeds; planting seeds. 

Riding my bike is something I like. 

It will be my birthday.

Not a single speck of snow. 

Great! It’s Spring!

3rd Grade – Skyler Ehrlich

Bar Harbor Garden Club/GCF of ME

A Hopeful World

I spy, with my little eye,

A bright sunrise, with graceful light,

That fills my heart with hope, love and peace.

I spy with my little eye,

A beautiful ocean 

And how graceful the waves are,

And the beautiful trees.

Oh, this world with hope, love and peace.

It might be kind of at war now,

But we can help.

I can help.

—-

4th Grade – Joseph Buteau
Sharon Garden Club/GCF of MA

A Walk Through the Garden

A ladybug flying across the sky,
It’s so fast, and beautiful to the eye,
A butterfly pollinating the flowers,
Nature has many unknown powers,
An ant climbing into an anthill,
Their powerful jaws are mini drills,
A spider catches a tasty fly,
It sees it as a scrumptious pie,
A slug walking through the greens,
Biting on lettuce as the poor vegetable screams, A buzzing bee sucking up nectar,
Enjoying its viscous texture,
Nature is amazing,
And honestly lifesaving.

 
———
 
5th Grade – Vivian Vigneault
Barrington GC/RIFGC
 

Blossom Bloom Fever 

 
I know a world where nature is grand
 
In every place it is tall 
 
In the season of magnificent colors 
 
Here and there and everywhere 
 
The world is singing 
 
Gleaming about beautiful fall
 
Animals in every corner 
 
Hole or nest or even a beehive 
 
Expressing emotions to fly
 
Foxes uncovered and so do owls
 
Squirrels stuffing their faces 
 
Hiding nuts without any buts
 
Deers come out to eat without fear 
 
Wolf pack emerge from the den
 
Roof on their heads, belly of dread
 
Colors are bright feelings are bold
 
Every leaf is a story waiting to be told 
 
Trees from greens, yellow to brown
 
And none of them frown.
 
———

7th Grade – Isabella Calvo
Framingham Garden Club/GCF of MA

Spring and Summer

Grass is growing Rivers are flowing Opening flowers bud Wet gobs of mud

It is spring
Not Long till’ summer Gone away is winter

Fun unending exploration Lost in endless imagination Out in the open air
White roses tall and fair Everything’s green

Right in the sun Summer is fun


Youth Sculpture Contest

This contest encourages students to keep our planet green and to get involved with saving the environment. Students in grades 4 through 8 are eligible to create a sculpture of recyclable, reused, and reduced materials. The sculpture is limited in width to 81/2 inches by 11 inches. Height should be proportional to width.

  • Club entries must be sent to State Chairman. Observe State Deadlines.
  • First place entries must be sent to Region Chairman/Awards Chairman by February 1, and Region first place entries must be sent to National Chairman by March 1

View the 2024 winners!

4th Grade – Adelyn Bush
Barrington Garden Club/RIFGC
‘Garden in a Box’

5th Grade – Evelyn Ward
Barrington Garden Club/RIFGC
’Sloth in a Tree’