ROW Contest Guidelines

River of Words is looking for artwork and poetry that…

• Thoughtfully considers ideas, images and language. Be specific!
• Shows the reader something. Paint a picture (with paint or with words)!
• Creates an experience for the reader/viewer: use images that take us on a journey or make us feel something.
• Has fun: with form, images, textures. Surprise yourself by trying something new!
• Features a specific aspect, formation, ecosystem, or organism of nature that resonates with you.
• Exhibits scientific knowledge of a particular subject learned in the classroom.
• Invites us into your backyard: go outside, what do you see? What do you hear?
• What do you smell? What do you feel?
• Shows what no one else sees: a poem or artwork that reveals your own unique observations or personal experiences.
• Speaks to an awareness of a global community or collective consciousness: a poem or artwork can reflect the experiences of a culture or natural world surrounding you.

Students may want to ask themselves, what do the ideas above mean to me? The answers will be different for everyone, though we hope to give you some idea of what we are looking for. We want students to follow their creativity to its fullest extent by exploring and trying things they have not done before while they create poetry and art of environment and place.

 

Entry Categories:

• Category I - Pre Kindergarten-Grade 2
• Category II - Grades 3-5
• Category III - Grades 6-8
• Category IV - Grades 9-12

Please read the contest guidelines below as there are some changes from previous years.

1. All submissions are due by February 1, 2025 at 11:59pm EST after which the submission portal will close and no late submissions will be accepted for any reason. We request that mailed entries be sent by January 21, 2025 to allow time for packages to arrive at our office by the contest deadline. Winners will be announced in April 2025.

2. The contest is open to PreK–12th grade students, ages 5–19. All entries must be submitted by a parent, guardian, educator, or facilitator unless the student is 18 years old or older.

3. Participants may submit up to 5 entries for poetry and 5 entries for art (total of up to 10 entries). If more than 5 entries are submitted, we will only accept the first 5 as is. If multiple poems or pieces of artwork are being submitted, then this form must be filled out once per submission.

4. All poems and artwork must be original work.

5. Poems should not exceed 32 lines in length (written) or 3 minutes (signed). For ASL poetry, please include a brief written summary of the poem’s content.

6. Collaborative poems and artwork are accepted, but only one student (chosen as the group representative) will be eligible for any prizes awarded.

7. At this time, we are able to accept poems only in English and Spanish.

8. Although online entries are accepted for the Georgia competition, any art that is selected as a national finalist, national runner up or grand prize winner MUST be mailed or delivered to the Georgia River of Words office in order to be considered for national recognition regardless of medium. If the art is a digital piece, please have it printed. If selected for national recognition, the original artwork will not be returned, however a digital color copy will be available to the artist. You will be contacted by our office if your entry requires mailing or delivery.

9. All artwork must be original work. Acceptable media are paint, pencil, markers, ink, crayon, chalk or pastel (fixed), photography, cloth, collage, and computer art.

10. Revisions will not be accepted. Please make sure your work is completed before submitting to the portal.

11. By submitting work of any kind to River of Words, you are granting, on behalf of yourself and the student, to River of Words all rights in the work, including but not limited to the right to publish, reproduce, perform, distribute and to include the work in the River of Words annual anthology, on River of Words websites, or in any other publications deemed appropriate by River of Words. Works submitted to River of Words cannot be submitted for other publications or competitions.

12. Questions and concerns can be emailed to [email protected]

Please review the River of Words Privacy Policy: https://www.stmarys-ca.edu/centers-institutes/center-environmental-lite…

Poetry Submissions

All poems must be original work and will be judged based on the following components: 

1. Consistency: What is the poem’s form or style and does it remain consistent throughout?

2. Qualities: Does the poem rhyme, does it have a rhythm to it? If it does not rhyme, does it have a rhythm that ties it together? If it does rhyme is there a pattern that is followed?

3. Craft: Does the poem use poetic devices? 

4. Voice: Does the poem retain comprehension or a sense of coherence? Is the purpose realized?

5. Content: Does the meaning of the poem go along with the prompt provided by the River of Words?

6. Length: Poems should not exceed 32 lines in length (written) or 3 minutes (signed). For ASL poetry, please include a written summary of the poem’s content.

7. Collaborative poems are accepted, but only one student (chosen as the group representative) will be eligible for any prizes awarded.

8. At this time, we are able to accept poems only in English and Spanish.

For electronic entries (preferred method of submission)

• Files must be PDF, JPG, JPEG, or PNG, and less than 10 MB. Please submit one entry per form. 

For mail-in entries

• The student's name, school, city and state should be on the poem, and a completed Student Entry Form must be stapled facing outward to the back of each poem.

 

Art Submissions

All artwork must be original work and will be judged based on the following components: 

1. If selected as a NATIONAL finalist, runner-up or grand prize winner, art must be mailed or delivered to the Georgia River of Words office in order to be considered for national recognition regardless of medium. If the art is a digital piece, please have it printed. In this case, art may not be returned to the artist, however a digital copy will be provided.

2. All artwork must be original work. Acceptable media are paint, pencil, markers, ink, crayon, chalk or pastel (fixed), photography, cloth, collage, and computer art.

3. Knowledge of medium: Does the piece can utilize multiple art mediums (pencil, paint, photography, etc.)? The student does not need to display mastery of the medium, but the piece should represent a level of understanding of the medium they have chosen.

4. Content: Does the piece of artwork depict something to do with the environment, local watersheds, cultural impact on the environment, etc.?

5. Creativity and Originality: Is the piece unique to the artist? Is it clear that the artist took time and effort to create the piece? Does the piece represent skill appropriate for the artists grade level?

6. Craft: Does the work introduce a thought, concept, idea and/or make you think on a higher level? Are there elements to the piece that are purposeful and add to the piece?

7. Composition and presentation: Does the piece have or reflect any of the following: repeating shapes, patterns, symmetry, colors that are complimentary, use of texture to add to the story, composition to show fields of depth and keep the eye focused, movements or flow of scenery, correct/appealing or purposeful incorrect proportions.

8. Collaborative artwork is accepted, but only one student (chosen as the group representative) will be eligible for any prizes awarded. 

For electronic entries (preferred method of submission)

• Files must be PDF, JPG, JPEG, or PNG, and less than 10 MB. Please submit one entry per form. 

For mail-in entries

• All artwork must include the student's name, school, city, and state on the back. Do not use marking pen or anything that will show through. A completed student entry form must also be affixed to the back of each piece of artwork, facing outward, with tape or other safe fixative.
• Art mailed entries should be mailed flat or rolled in a tube.

Group entries are completed through group activities or under the guidance of a facilitator. These include school groups, after-school groups, scout troops, 4-H clubs, and others. 

 

For online entries:  

Students must complete the Online Entry Form and complete the School/Organization Section towards the bottom of the form. Upload a digital copy of the artwork or poetry entry to the online form before submitting. Files must be PDF, JPG, JPEG, or PNG and less than 10MB. 

Electronic entries are due February 1st. 

 

For mail-in group entries:

Students must check the group entry box on the Mail-in Student Entry Form and complete the School/Organization Section. The leader or teacher must complete the group facilitator form to send in with all other entries in the group. Attach a completed student entry form to the back of each piece (art or poetry), facing outward.

Educators - Mail-in Facilitator Form
Include this form with the entries from a group you have led in River of Words activities.

• Please send all group entries with forms attached and facilitator form with a list of entered students in one envelope or package - do not send each entry individually.
• Note: Every group member must complete and attach a separate student entry form for each entry.

Send all entries, with student entry forms attached, by February 1 to:

• Georgia River of Words
  2 MLK Jr. Drive SE, Suite 1452 E
  Atlanta, GA 30334 

Individual entries are independently completed by a student (not through school or any other guided activity).

 

For online entries:  

Students must complete the Online Entry Form. Upload a digital copy of the artwork or poetry entry to the online form before submitting. Files must be PDF, JPG, JPEG, or PNG and less than 10MB. 

Electronic entries are due February 1st. 

 

For mail-in individual entries:

If you are entering the contest completely on your own, please complete the Mail-in Student Entry Form and check the Individual box.

Please Note: If you are submitting more than one entry, a separate student entry form must be attached to each piece. Please send all of your entries with attached student entry forms, in one package.

Send all entries, with student entry forms attached, by February 1 to:

• Georgia River of Words
  2 MLK Jr. Drive SE, Suite 1452 E
  Atlanta, GA 30334