The Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness is looking for students in first through sixth grades, including specialized instruction classes, to participate in its annual poster contest. The purpose of the severe weather awareness poster contest is to have Ohio’s youth demonstrate through illustrations of actions they can take before, during and after severe weather events to protect themselves and others.
Tornadoes, floods, thunder and lightning storms, extreme heat, and snow and ice storms are weather conditions that typically affect the state.
“As educators and parents, we are committed to teach safety and preparedness practices to our students,” said Nancy Dragani, executive director of the Ohio Emergency Management Agency. “Ohio has experienced extreme weather over the last couple of years – derechos, residuals from hurricanes, and this winter we experienced polar vortexes, arctic blasts, and two tornadoes in February. This poster contest provides the perfect opportunity for students to learn about Ohio weather, and severe weather safety and preparedness.”
Ohio schools have until April 16, 2014 to send their first-place posters (per grade) to their regional National Weather Service offices. The NWS offices will judge all poster entries and choose their top regional winners per grade. In early May, the Severe Weather Awareness committee will judge the top regional posters to determine the state and overall state winners.
Schools will be notified of their regional winners by the end of May. All regional winners will be invited to attend the poster contest awards ceremony, which will be held at the Ohio State Fair’s DiSalle’s Creative Arts Center on Saturday, August 2.
The prizes are big and the day’s event is fun. All regional winners and their parents will receive four entry passes for the day at the Ohio State Fair. All regional-winning students will receive a host of prizes, certificates and awards. State-level winners will receive additional prizes, and the overall state winner will receive even more prizes, along with a personalized trophy. The overall winner’s school will be loaned a “traveling trophy” to display during the school year.
For complete rules and forms to participate in the poster contest, visit the Ohio Committee for Severe Weather Awareness website at: www.weathersafety.ohio.gov. Go to the yellow Just for Kids box and click on 2014 Poster Contest Rules.
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