To encourage water conservation and celebrate Earth Day, the Environmental Control Advisory Board of the City of Norman (ECAB) invites teachers throughout Norman to submit student artwork for the 2026 "WATER'S WORTH IT!" Poster Contest.

The contest is open to all Norman elementary school students (kindergarten through fifth grade) and provides an opportunity for students to explore environmental stewardship through creativity.

All submitted posters will be displayed publicly at Uncanny Art House (106 E. Main Street) during April Art Walk and the following weekend, April 10-12, 2026. Community members attending Art Walk will be invited to view the artwork and vote for their favorite poster as part of the People's Choice Award, which is new for 2026 and will be decided during Art Walk.

Prizes will be awarded to both students and teachers in recognition of participation and achievement:

• Student Awards: Gift card prizes will be awarded to top student submissions in the following grade categories: K-1, 2-3, and 4-5.
• People's Choice Award: The winning student and their teacher will each receive a gift card to Uncanny Art House, redeemable for classes or merchandise.
• Teacher Participation Incentives:
  • The first 30 teachers to participate will receive gift cards.
  • The teacher with the highest percentage of student participation will receive a gift card.

The Grand Prize winner will have their poster design featured as the official T-shirt graphic for the City of Norman's Earth Day Festival. Prize winners will be recognized during the Earth Day Festival on April 26, 2026, at Reeves Park.

"This contest is about way more than art," said Michele Loudenback, manager of the Division of Environmental Resilience and Sustainability at the City of Norman. "It's about giving our youngest residents a platform to imagine the future they want to see. When kids put their vision of environmental stewardship on paper, they're not just creating something beautiful. They are telling us what matters to them, and that view is invaluable. I cannot wait to see what they come up with this year!"

The contest submission deadline is March 13, 2026.

ECAB investigates, prepares plans for, and recommends programs regarding the preservation and enhancement of the environmental quality of the City as well as administers variance procedures in the Air Quality Control Ordinance. Learn more at https://www.normanok.gov/environmental-control-advisory-board-ecab.

For contest guidelines, submission details, or additional information about Green Norman Ecobration events, please contact Michele Loudenback at [email protected] or (405) 292-9731.