Deadline: Tuesday March 5, 2013

For information on contests in your area, contact your local ski resort.

Program Description

NSAA has developed a safety awareness poster contest for kids. The contest targets fourth, fifth and sixth graders, but any elementary-age child can participate. The students will be asked to create a poster related to any one of the seven points in "Your Responsibility Code." Prizes will be awarded.

Our Mission

To promote skiing safety awareness and education to elementary school children, to support classroom curriculum related to sports, health and safety, and to give kids a chance to have fun and be creative while learning about slope safety.

How it Works

NSAA ski area members are urged to promote and administer the safety poster contest for kids in their respective local community and schools. Ski areas will judge and select their local winners using the criteria outlined below in the "Rules for Poster Design" and "Judging Standards." Local winning posters are then entered by the ski area in the national contest, giving local kids a chance to be recognized nationally for their winning design.

Rules for Poster Design

• Students must create a poster based on one or more of the seven elements of "Your Responsibility Code" or one of the three elements of SmartStyle.
• Posters must be created only by an individual child.
• Use this official entry form to submit entries, otherwise a 8 1/2″ x 11″ or 11″ x 17″ poster size is recommended.
• Students should use pencil, crayon, paint and other materials (no macaroni) readily available in schools in their poster design.
• Complete name, address, and telephone number in space provided on the front of the form (or else include the above information on the back of poster.)
• Entry forms must be submitted on time - March 5, 2013

Judging Standards

Local Contest Local winners will be selected by the participating ski area. It is recommended that selection be based on the same criteria as described in the national contest below. Local winners can be entered into the national contest by forwarding the winning designs to:

Poster Contest NSAA 133 S. Van Gordon Street Suite 300 Lakewood, CO 80228 (303) 987-1111

National Contest Selection of the national winning posters will be made by the NSAA Poster Contest Committee on an objective and non-discriminatory basis. Winners will be selected in two categories, including best overall safety message, and most creative design. Selection will be based on the poster's connection to safety, visual impact and originality. All posters submitted to the national contest will become the property of the National Ski Areas Association.

Prizes

Other national awards at the discretion of the NSAA.

Local awards at the discretion of the participating ski area.

Why Run A Poster Contest At Your Area?

NSAA needs your help to make this a really successful contest. There are many advantages for you and for local schools and youth groups. By actively promoting this contest, you will be promoting safety and marketing your resort in a most positive way. Plus, you will be partnering with NSAA in the National  Slope Safety Campaign, and will provide an opportunity for local children to receive national recognition for their safety ideas and artistic talents.

School and youth groups will benefit for several reasons. The contest is curriculum-based and promotes safety, which is foremost on the minds of teachers and parents. In addition, the contest helps promote outdoor fun for the whole family.

How To Run A Successful Poster Contest

There are two key elements to running a successful poster contest. First, involve the right people on your staff. Individuals who already have experience with local school programs and who have a great deal of enthusiasm for kids' safety programs will get the best results.

Second, be creative and keep it fun. There are no hard rules about how to get the kids involved, so use your imagination. Some possibilities include: introduce the poster contest during pre-season outreach programs in schools and to local youth groups, enroll tour group leaders to convey information about the contest, incorporate information about the contest in kids' ski school lessons, and create competition between local schools to create the best posters.

Another way to insure a successful poster contest is to offer really great prizes. Some ideas for local winning prizes are a free season pass, free passes for the teacher and other entrants rom the winning class, discounts on ski gear, dinner at a local restaurant, and publication of the winning design(s) in the ski area brochure.

Deadlines for Local and National Contests

We recommend that you time your selection of winners with National Safety Awareness Week, scheduled for Saturday January 19 - Sunday January 27, 2013. For example all posters could be submitted by January 15, 2013. This would allow your staff four days to select the winning entries. Winning designs could be posted in the base lodge and a press release to local media could greatly add to the excitement of National Safety Awareness Week.

All entries for the national contest should by submitted by March 5, 2013. We encourage you to submit all winners and runner-up designs from the local contest. Winners of the national contest will be announced by April 1, 2013.

Questions regarding the poster contest can be addressed to Emily Griffith, NSAA Director of Member Services, at (720)963-4209 or egriffith@nsaa.org.