2021 Emergency Preparedness Calendar Contest
The City of Austin Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) will be designing the first Emergency Preparedness Calendar to feature student artwork. HSEM invites you to submit your child’s emergency preparedness creations in the 2021 Emergency Preparedness Calendar Contest.
The contest is open to all 2nd through 5th grade students whose school (or residence) is physically located within Travis County, regardless of the independent school district.
For questions regarding the calendar, email HSEM Communications
2021 Calendar Guidelines Flyer (PDF)
(Deadline has been extended until 11:59 p.m. Friday, October 23, 2020)
SUBJECT OF ARTWORK
Family emergency preparedness actions, severe weather conditions occurring in central Texas, and man-made disasters.
Examples of a family emergency preparedness action would be the creation of a home or vehicle emergency kit or practicing a disaster plan, such as an evacuation plan.
Severe weather hazards are tornado, hail, flash flooding, lightning, excessive heat or cold and dangerous icy conditions.
Examples of man-made disasters would be terrorism, wildfires, train derailment, chemical spills, building fires and epidemic. Artwork should also contain a safety message about the specific hazard featured.
Note: Remember this is a 12-month calendar, severe weather occurs throughout the year. Ice storms, extreme cold, and flu season are better examples of the late fall and winter months than a tornado or flash flood. Drought, excessive heat and hail work well for summer months. Man-made disasters, communication plans and emergency kits will fit in any month.
Resources for Artwork
Information on personal safety during severe weather and man-made disasters can be found at public education websites such as:
National Weather Service - Safety Information
Artwork Guidelines
- Artwork must consist of paint, pen/pencil, pastel, collage, crayons, computer graphics or any combination of listed materials. No glitter please.
- Artwork should be created and submitted on poster board up to 12” x 18” for 3-D; drawing or construction paper in sizes: 12” x 24”, 8.5" x 11", or 9” x 12”.
- Fill out the form that contains student name, home address, telephone number, grade, school, school district, art teacher name (if applicable). We will need to contact winning artist’s family as well as art teachers and principals to invite them to the awards ceremony.
Judging Criteria
Artwork will be judged on creative visual quality and safety message content. Depending on the number of entries, a minimum of one finalist from each submitting school will be chosen in the first round. First round finalists will compete in a second round of judging for the Front Cover and 12 monthly calendar positions. There will also be a block of semi-finalist entries on the back cover.
Contest judging panel will be made up of City of Austin Office of Homeland Security Emergency Management and the Travis County Office of Emergency Management.
Awards
All student participants will receive a commemorative pin or certificate from City of Austin HSEM. Front Cover and Monthly winning artists will receive a trophy and NOAA weather radio at an award ceremony to be held at Austin City Hall. If in-person meetings are not being held, a virtual presentation will be offered. Winning artists are presented to the Austin City Council during an evening meeting. Semi-finalists will receive a medal with ribbon, to be presented by their art teacher during their regularly scheduled art class or school awards day.
Artwork Submission (CONTEST CLOSED)
The deadline for submitting artwork is 11:59 p.m. Friday, October 23, 2020.
All artwork must be submitted to the City of Austin Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management either electronically or mailed to:
ATTN: HSEM
P.O. Box 1088
Austin, TX 78767
Artwork submitted after the October 23, 2020 deadline will not be accepted. Winners will be announced in November.
Original artwork that is mailed will become property of the City of Austin HSEM and will not be returned. City of Austin HSEM reserves the right to publish artwork as deemed beneficial for public education.