Award Winner Photos and Posters
I. POSTER CONTEST: Rules and Guidelines
A. The poster contest will judge winners in five categories: grades K-1, 2-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-
12.
B. The 2021 poster contest should incorporate the theme of “Healthy Forests = Healthy
Communities”.
C. Any media may be used, including paint, crayon, colored pencil, charcoal, stickers,
paper, or other materials.
D. All posters must be created by an individual student. Entry must be contestant’s
original creation and may not be traced from photographs or other artists’ published
works. Each entry must be submitted with an entry form to be eligible for judging.
The form must be completed and signed by a parent or guardian.
E. District winning posters will be due to MASWCD by November 1. The judging of the
posters will be completed prior to November 25. Only digital posters will be accepted
at the state and national level. Photographs must be clear and well framed.
F. The first place state winner in each category will receive a cash award of $50.
G. State winning posters are sent on to NACD by December 1 for national competition.
II. COOPERATOR OF THE YEAR AWARD:
A. A simplified entry form consisting of a one-page letter of the accomplishments and
reasons why this entry should receive the award for Cooperator of the Year should
be submitted to your Area Director or the MASWCD office by July 1.
B. The selected state winner will be presented a cash award of $100 during the Training
Conference.
III. CONSERVATION EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR:
A. A simplified entry form consisting of a one-page letter of the accomplishments and
reasons why this entry should receive the award for Missouri Conservation Educator
of the Year should be submitted to your Area Director or the MASWCD office by July
1.
B. The selected state winner will be presented a cash award of $100 during the Training
Conference.
IV. HUGH HAMMOND BENNETT AWARD
Invoking the leadership and dedication of Hugh Hammond Bennett, the father of the
modern soil conservation movement and the first chief of the Soil Conservation
Service (now Natural Resources Conservation Service), the Bennett Excellence in
Conservation Award (Bennett Award) recognizes individuals at the local, state and
ultimately the national level for extraordinary achievements in and contributions to
the soil and water conservation movement in the United States.
Criteria –
A. Commitment to conservation planning. Bennett Award nominees shall have a
current conservation plan and demonstrated commitment to following their
conservation plan.
B. Pioneer new approaches to conservation planning. Nominees shall embrace and
incorporate into their management strategy new and innovative conservation
planning tools (i.e. Resource Stewardship Evaluation Tool – RSET, Field Print
Calculator, 4-R Nutrient Stewardship or others)
C. Advancement of soil health adoption. Bennett Award nominees shall not only
have adopted soil health practices on their own land or operation, they also serve
to champion soil health adoption through a variety of community outreach and
educational activities,
D. Civic engagement. Bennett Award nominees shall demonstrate commitment to
civic engagement and service at the local, state or national level. Civic
engagement could be through elected or appointed service to a local soil and
water conservation district, a resource conservation development council, other
local or state governing body, or leadership positions in other local, state or
national organizations.
E. Any Soil an Water Conservation District can select one individual on an annual
basis to advance as the SWCD’s nominee. From the pool of SWCD nominees,
each state/territory association of SWCDs selects one nominee to advance to the
national level as the state/territory’s nominee.
F. Local and State/Territory Bennett Award nominees shall receive a certificate of
recognition for their achievement. All state/territory nominees will also receive a
placard for prominent display on their property.
G. Submit nominations to your Area Director or the MASWCD office by July 1.