PITTSBORO, NC— The Chatham Soil & Water Conservation District is excited to announce its 2025-2026 Conservation Poster and Essay Contests. This year's theme, "We All Live in a Watershed” encourages students to learn more about watersheds and their importance in our daily lives. These contests are open to students in public, private, charter, and home-schooled settings.

The Poster Contest is open to students in grades 3, 4, and 5, while the Essay Contest is open to students in grades 6, 7, 8, and 9-12. All entries will be judged by grade level, except for the 9-12 grade division, which will be judged together.

What: 2025-2026 Conservation Poster and Essay Contests with the theme "We All Live in a Watershed”
When: All poster and essay contest entries are due by February 16, 2026
Where: Submissions must be sent to the Chatham Soil & Water Conservation District office located at 1192 US 64 W Business, Pittsboro, NC, 27312.

For complete details, rules, study materials, and NC curriculum standards correlation information, please contact Brandy Oldham, Education Coordinator for the Chatham Soil & Water Conservation District at (919) 545-8440 or brandy.oldham@chathamcountync.gov. Information can also be found by visiting the Chatham Soil & Water Conservation District Conservation Contests web page under the Education Programs link, www.chathamcountync.gov/swcd.

Chatham Soil & Water Conservation District works to ensure the wise use of our natural resources, soil, water, air, plants, and animals by providing technical and education services to land users.

Photo by Brandy Oldham showing the 5th-grade first-place winning poster from last year’s conservation contest, themed “Wetlands Are Wonderful!”. The poster was created by Kallan Beutel, a student at Haw River Christian Academy.