2019 DOJ Missing Children's Day Poster Contest

The National Missing Children's Day Poster Contest is a nationwide contest designed to promote awareness among teachers, parents/guardians and children and engage them in discussion about safety. 

On behalf of the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the U.S. Department of Justice, we thank you for participating in this contest and look forward to seeing your creativity shine through your artwork!

Poster, contest application and consent form must be mailed to and received by Kelley Martin, State Manager, no later than February 15, 2019. 

Contest Rules:

• Applicants must be in the fifth grade
• Artwork should reflect the theme "Bringing Our Missing Children Home". This phrase must appear somewhere on the poster. 
• The theme may be depicted in the student's artwork through one or a combination of illustrations (i.e. signs and symbols, people, abstract, industry, wildlife, etc.) and can be created using media such as acrylics, watercolor, pencils, charcoal, magic markers, spray paint, crayons and pastels. Digitally produced images, collages, cutouts and stamping will not be eligible for consideration. 
• The finished poster must measure 8.5 x 14 inches.
• The poster must be submitted with a completed application, which includes a description of the poster and a brief biography of the artist, either typed or written legibly. 

Judging Criteria:

• Complete contest rules must be followed at all levels of the competition. Incomplete packages and incorrectly sized posters will not be eligible for judging. 
• Artwork will be judged on:
  • Creativity
  • Reflection of the contest theme
  • Originality in design 
• Written applications will be judged on:
  • Comprehension of theme
  • Clarity
  • Grammar and syntax appropriate to the fifth grade level

Competition Procedures:

• Arizona residents must contact the State Contest Manager (Ms. Kelley Martin) to confirm your participation in the contest and to obtain the submission deadline for Arizona. 
• Submit your poster, completed application and signed consent and release form to the Arizona State Contest Manager by Arizona's submission deadline, via mail. 

Awards

State Level:

• Each state winner whose poster is selected to go to the national judging competition, will receive a national award certificate from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). State managers are responsible for facilitating all statewide events, activities and awards for participating children. 

National Level:  

• The national winner, his/her teacher (or designee from selected school) and parents/guardians (typically two people), and the state manager will be invited to Washington, D.C., to participate in the U.S. DOJ's National Missing Children's Day ceremony on May 22, 2019. 
• Transportation and lodging will be provided.
• The national winner will also receive a national award certificate and a professional print of their poster. 

Winning Poster:

The national winning poster: 

• Becomes the property of the U.S. DOJ and will be displayed at the DOJ, congressional offices and other locations as determined by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP). Any applicable copyrights will be held by those offices. 
• May be used in publications, exhibits, displays and on websites, as determined by OJJDP and U.S. DOJ. 
• Will be presented at the national symbol for the 2020 Missing Children's Day ceremony and associated events. 
• Photos of the winner and his/her poster will be available through U.S. DOJ and may be posted wherever contest information is available. 

Contest Timeline:

• September 2018
  • Poster contest begins
• February 15, 2019
  • Submission deadline. 
• April 2019
  • National winner will be notified
  • Travel arrangements are initiated for attendance at the 2019 National Missing Children's Day ceremony.

Learn more about the Arizona Department of Public Safety's involvement with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.