Yearly Archives: 2022
2021-2022 Annual Report
2022-2023 Youth Conservation Leadership Institute Applications are now closed.
The 2022-2023 Youth Conservation Leadership Institute applications are NOW OPEN. Please share how you are able in your communities. Deadline to apply is Friday, September 30th, 2022. Applications should be emailed to maura.christian@vaswcd.org or mailed to 7308 Hanover Green Drive Suite 100, Mechanicsville, VA 23111.
YCLI is open to any Virginia High School student in grades 9-12th committed to the entirety of the program including:
- Developing their own Project Proposal based on student interest and implementing that project with the help of a mentor.
- Completion of at least 20 community service hours to be approved by the VASWCD staff.
- Submission of one interim, final report, & presentation on the community work completed.
- Attendance at the final recognition program to be held Spring 2023
- Read an assigned book on environmental leadership and participate in a virtual group discussion
- Participate in scheduled virtual group meetings throughout the program.
YCLI student goals include to:
- Engage with your local community & collaborate with fellow YCLI students across the state
- Develop project management skills and professional relationships through working with your mentor, local SWCD, and YCLI program director
- Meet deadlines and maintain a progress log with documentation of your work
- Practice presentation skills at the final program presentation
- Learn more about a topic of your interest and be a self-starter in developing your own project!
Click here to access the 2022-2023 YCLI application and flyer:
Specifics for the program will be announced along with the acceptance letter that will be sent via email in October 2022. Questions? Contact Maura Christian at maura.christian@vaswcd.org or (804) 559-0324.
2023 NACD/VASWCD POSTER CONTEST and SCOUT PATCH PROGRAM
Blue Ridge SWCD Poster Contest Rules
- The Conservation Poster Contest is open to kindergarten through twelfth grade students and entered into one of the grade divisions (K-1; 2-3; 4-6; 7-9; 10-12).
- Poster size must be within 8.5”x11” (letter-size) to 22”x28” (full-size poster board)
- Posters must be hand-drawn. Any media may be used to create a flat poster including: paint, crayon, colored pencil, charcoal, stickers, paper, and/or other materials.
- All posters must be created by an individual student, rather than a team of students. Entries must be a contestant’s original creation and may not be traced from photographs or other artist’s published works.
- The 2023 Stewardship theme “One Water” must be included on the front side of each poster submission to be eligible for the national poster contest.
- Each entry must be submitted with a completed entry form attached to the back of the poster. This entry form must be signed by a parent or guardian to be eligible for the contest.
- Posters are due to the Blue Ridge SWCD office by Friday, September 15, 2023 by the close of business. Posters may be mailed or dropped off at the district office.
- Although younger students will most likely receive help in planning from parents and/or teachers, Blue Ridge SWCD encourages each student to do their own work. Note: Entries with student handwriting and coloring will score higher than those designed, drawn and colored by adult assistance.
- Posters entered into the national competition must have been judged by the Blue Ridge SWCD sponsored poster contest and the VASWCD sponsored poster contest.
- The 1st place poster in each category will be submitted to the VASWCD. The winners of the state contest will receive a prize and move on to the NACD Poster Contest. The top three posters (in each category) of the national contest will receive monetary prizes. First place winners will receive $200, second place winners will receive $150 and 3rd place winners will receive $100. Monetary prizes at the national level are sponsored by the NACD Auxiliary from their quilt project and the Albert I Pierce Foundation.
- Any Scout who creates a poster and submits to Blue Ridge SWCD to earn the VASWCD Poster Contest Patch must request a patch on the completed entry form submitted with his or her poster.
- All posters will be returned to participants after the contest(s) are completed.
Poster Evaluations
Poster Contest Entries are reviewed by the Blue Ridge SWCD Scholarship/Youth Committee based on the following criteria:
- Conservation message (50 percent) (Poster uses correct theme)
- Visual effectiveness (30 percent)
- Originality (10 percent) and
- Universal appeal (10 percent)
