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 discussions about safety.
Important information about this contest, including the application and consent and release form, can be found within this packet.
On behalf of 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!
Questions about the poster contest? Contact the State Contest Manager in your state!
40th Annual National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest Fact Sheet
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 (e.g., signs and symbols, people, abstract, industry, wildlife) and can be created using media such as acrylics, watercolor, pencils, charcoal, magic markers, spray paint, crayons, and pastels. Digitally produced images, collages, cut- outs, and stamping will not be eligible for consideration.
- The finished poster must measure 8½ 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 the theme
- Clarity
- Grammar and syntax appropriate to the fifth-grade level
Competition Procedures
- Contact your State Contest Manager to confirm your participation in the contest and to obtain the submission deadline for your state.
- Submit your poster, completed application, and signed consent and release form to
your State Contest Manager by your state’s submission deadline.
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 40th Annual National Missing Children’s Day Ceremony on May 24, 2023.
- 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 U.S. DOJ and will be displayed at the Department of Justice, 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.National Criminal Justice Training Center 4
- Will be presented as the national symbol for the 41st Annual Missing Children’s Day Ceremony and associated activities.
- 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
- October 2022
- Poster contest begins
- February 2023
- April 2023
- National winner will be notified.
- Travel arrangements are initiated for attendance at the 40th Annual National Missing Children’s Day ceremony in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday, May 24th.
Questions? Contact the State Contest Manager in your state.
Poster Contest Application
Thank you for participating in the 40th Annual National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest! Please be sure to complete this application and ask your parent/guardian to complete the consent and release form before submitting your poster to your State Contest Manager. Posters that are submitted without an application and consent and release form included will not be considered for the contest.
Missing Children’s Day Discussion Guide
Below is a guide intended for a facilitator (i.e., teacher, parent) to reference as a discussion starter with students. We hope this discussion will make the subject less scary and provide students with an understanding of the poster contest topic to help generate ideas for their artwork.
What is Missing Children’s Day?
- An annual ceremony to recognize the amazing people who help to protect children.
- These people include law enforcement officers, social workers, prosecutors and everyday people (i.e. teachers, moms, dads, brothers, sisters, neighbors).
- The theme is “Bringing Our Missing Children Home”.
- There are people in this world that do bad things and break the law.
- This is why we have police and judges.
- Sometimes these people do bad things to kids, like take them away from their families.
- Police can help by searching and helping to return these children to their home.
Questions for Students
- Have you or anyone you love ever been lost before?
- How did you feel?
- Did anyone help you or your loved one return home?
- Who found you or your loved one?
- How do you think your family felt?
Provide Guidance for Students
- When you draw your art, think about:
- How you felt when you were lost.
- Who helped you?
- How your family felt when you were lost?
Attention 5th Graders
We welcome your participation in the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest
You, your parents/guardians, and teacher could win a trip to Washington, D.C.!
Contest Rules
Students must create a poster that demonstrates the theme “Bringing Our Missing Children Home”.
- The finished poster must be 8 ½ x 14 inches.
- The slogan “Bringing Our Missing Children Home” must appear somewhere on the poster.
- Posters must be created by hand. Posters with printed images, collages, and stamping are not eligible.
- Posters should be original in design. Be creative! Use acrylics, watercolor, pencil, charcoal, magic markers, spray paint, crayons, pastels, and etc.
To view previous artwork, visit the Featured Resources section on: ncjtc.org/mcd - The poster must be submitted with a completed application, which includes a description of the poster and a brief biography of the artist.
Posters must be submitted to your state contest manager for local judging by the submissions deadline.
“I created this poster because many missing children die within hours after being confirmed as missing. Finding a missing child in 24 hours should be the goal. In my artwork, different races and communities work together for a common goal, to find the missing child. While work- ing together to find a missing girl, during this time I hope they realize that any child deserves rescuing.”
Sue L. | California 2022 Poster Contest Winner
Contact the National Poster Contest
Manager Ali Smith at [email protected] to find out how to contact your state manager
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