Conservation Through Education
Soil and water are recognized as our basic natural resources. The way we manage these and their products--plants and animals--is important in determining our present and future welfare.
How well we manage our resources does not depend entirely on land owners and operators; we all have a share in conservation.
Mecklenburg Soil and Water Conservation District (MSWCD) understands that without the adequate knowledge, these natural resources may quickly diminish.
Annual Contests:
MSWCD Education Contests are offered to students attending school in Mecklenburg County.
Contest Procedure:
Contests will be conducted on the District, Area and State levels. District 1st Place Winners will be eligible to enter the Area contest, and the Area 1st Place Winners will be eligible to enter the State contest.
Contest Themes:
A set of five themes have been selected by the NC Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts' Education Committee and adopted by the NC Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
The themes rotate on a yearly basis.
Approved theme and rotation schedule is as follows:
- 2022-2023 Water... the Cycle of Life
- 2023-2024 The Living Soil
- 2024-2025 Wetlands are Wonderful
- 2025-2026 We All Live in a Watershed
- 2026-2027 Soil and Water . . . Yours for Life
Contest Deadline for 2023-2024: February 2, 2024
Contest Eligibility:
Elementary School - Separate contests for each grade.
- Design-a-Bookmark: Grades 1, 2, 3 (Local contest only).
- Poster: Grades 3, 4, 5.
Middle School - Separate contests for each grade.
- Essay: Grades 6, 7, 8.
- Speech: Grades 6, 7, 8.
High School - Combines Contests
- Essay: Grades 9-12.
- Speech: Grades 9-12.
The Speech Contest will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, February 24, 2024. The event will take place at the LUESA Building located at 2145 Suttle Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28208 in the Pine & Fraser Fir Rooms (4th floor).