Contest Rules and Guidelines

U.S. entries must be postmarked by December 1. International entries must be received by February 1.

Entries may be sent in at any time throughout the year, but no response will be sent until after the yearly contest deadline .

• The contest is open to youth who are age 5-19, on the December 1st deadline date. Youth older than 19 who are still enrolled in high school are eligible, but college students, even if 19 or younger, are not. Entrants need not submit work through their school; individual submissions are also accepted (Please see Frequently Asked Questions for clarification on these categories).

• Youth may enter the contest as many times as they like, but a separate entry form must be completed for each submission. Teachers should send all the entries from their classes together in one (or several, if needed) envelopes. Do not have each student mail their entry separately.

• NEW REQUIREMENT! Teachers/facilitators, please complete a Facilitator Form along with your entries, as well as a typed list of the names of all entrants in your class!

• All entrants will be acknowledged with a Watershed Explorer Certificate.

• All poems must be original work. Written poetry must be either typed (preferred) or legibly written in ink (pencil does not photocopy); ASL poetry must be submitted on a DVD. Poems should not exceed 32 lines in length (written) or 3 minutes (signed). The student’s name, school, city and state should be on the poem, and a completed Entry Form should be stapled back to back with each poem, with both the poem and entry form facing out. For ASL poetry, please include a brief written summary of the poem’s content. Poems not submitted in this format, or with incomplete or illegible writing will not be judged. Collaborative poems are accepted, but only one child (chosen as the group representative) will be eligible for any prizes awarded. We are able to accept poems only in English, Spanish and American Sign Language.

• All artwork must be original work.  Artwork should not exceed 11” by 17” in size-no exceptions. Acceptable media are paint, pencil, markers, ink, crayon, chalk or pastel (fixed), photography, cloth, collage and computer art. (Photo entries must be at least 8x10 inches.) All entries must contain the student’s name, school, city and state on theback — do not use a marker or anything that will show through! A completed entry form must also be affixed to the back of each piece of artwork. Please attach the entry form with tape or other fixative (if using glue, be careful to use one that will not run through and damage the artwork) — also, do not use paperclips! High quality color reproductions of prize-winning artwork will be provided to their respective creators. We will no longer accept color copies—all entries must be original work.

• Art entries must be done on paper that will allow for duplication, display or framing. Please, no notebook or typing paper, and do not mat, mount, laminate, frame or foldartwork.  Entries must be mailed flat or rolled in a tube — no folding, please!

• Submissions become property of ROW. Through submission of poetry or artwork, contestants and their legal guardians grant non-exclusive reproduction and publication rights to the works submitted, which will not be returned. 

• New Deadlines: All U.S. entries must be postmarked by December 1.  International entries must be received by February 1. We are not responsible for entries that are late or lost in the mail. Entries received after the deadline will be automatically entered in next year’s contest.

• Winners will be announced in April of each year.*  Winners must sign an acceptance form. For a list of winners, please include a self-addressed, stamped (58 cent) envelope when sending in your entry.

• Grand prize: round trip transportation from the winner’s nearest major airport to Washington, D.C. (or the city where the ceremony is being held) for the winner and one parent or guardian.** Prize is not redeemable for cash. Accommodations and some meals will also be provided. Taxes and all other expenses are the responsibility of the winner. Winners must be available for travel sometime in April or May.***

*River of Words reserves the right to not award a Grand Prize in any given category if no entry merits such designation.
**River of Words reserves the right to provide a subsitute prize, not including travel, depending on funding.
***International winners may be acknowledged at the Awards Ceremony for the following year’s contest.

For further information or to request river of words instructional materials, contact River of Words.