2023 NCW Illustrated Poem Contest: The Healing Power of Chemistry

The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS) is hosting an illustrated poem contest for students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. Entries must be sponsored by a local school or community group for verification purposes.

Contest_Deadline:Sunday, October 29, 2023 at 11:59 PM Eastern
Local Prizes: One winner will be awarded ($50) for each of the flowing categories:
Grades K-2     Grades 3-5     Grades 6-8     Grades 9-12
The teacher who guided the winner will receive a small funding ($100) for classroom supplies.
Local Contact:Duy Le (submission@orlandoacs.org)
Submission:Illustrated poem and submission form must be submitted to https://forms.gle/R4Ug1TrzBDRwkenn6
or emailed to submission@orlandoacs.org

Winners of the Orlando Section’s Illustrated Poem Contest will advance to the National Illustrated Poem Contest for a chance to be featured on the ACS website and to win prizes!

How to participate:

Write and illustrate a poem using the NCE theme, “The Healing Power of Chemistry.” Your poem must be no more than 40 words and in the following styles to be considered:

HAIKU  –  LIMERICK  –  ODE  –  ABC POEM  –  FREE VERSE  –  END RHYME  –  BLANK VERSE

Possible topics related to the theme include:

  • Skin anatomy and care
  • Vaccines
  • Wound healing
  • Zoopharmacognosy
  • Antibiotics
  • Antibodies
  • Bandages
  • Immune system
  • Medications
  • Pathogens

Entries will be judged based upon:

  • Artistic Merit – use of color, quality of drawing, design & layout
  • Poem Message – fun, motivational, inspiring about yearly theme
  • Originality Creativity – unique, clever and/or creative design
  • Neatness – free of spelling and grammatical errors

Contest rules:

·   All poems must be no more than 40 words, and in one of the following styles to be considered: Haiku, Limerick, Ode, ABC poem, Free verse, End rhyme, and Blank verse.
·   Entries are judged based upon relevance to and incorporation of the NCW theme, word choice and imagery, colorful artwork, adherence to poem style, originality and creativity, and overall presentation.
·   All entries must be original works without aid from others. Poems may be submitted by hand on an unlined sheet of paper not larger than 11” by 14” or scanned and sent via email. Illustrations may be created using crayons, watercolors, other types of paint, colored pencils, or markers. The illustration may also be electronically created by using a digital painting and drawing app on a computer, tablet, or mobile device.
·   The text of the poem should be easy to read and may be typed before the hand-drawn or digital illustration is added, or the poem may be written on lined paper, which is cut out and pasted onto the unlined paper with the illustration.
·   No clipart or unoriginal images can be used.
·   Only one entry per student will be accepted; all entries must include an entry form. If the illustration is created using a digital painting or drawing app, the name of the program must be included on the entry form.
·   Acceptance of prizes constitutes consent to use winners’ first name, and entry for editorial, advertising, and publicity purposes.
·   Do not place participant names on the front of your poem.

Download submission form and this flyer.

Examples (2023 National winners)

2023 CCEW Illustrated Poem Contest: The Results

Among many other activities for the 2023 Chemists Celebrate Earth Week (CCEW), the Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS) hosted the 2023 CCEW Illustrated Poem Contest for K-12 students in Central Florida. This year, the theme of the contest is “The Curious Chemistry of Amazing Algae”.

Winner of Grade 3-5 category, by M. P. from Harmony Community School (Osceola County)

Thanks to members of counties’ school boards and the teachers who brought the contest to students’ attention, the contest received many entries from multiple schools.

Results of the local contest

K-2 Category
No Winner

Grade 3-5 Category
Winner: M. P.
Harmony Community School (Osceola County)

Grade 6-8 Category
Winner: E. D.
Sanford Middle School (Seminole County)

Winner of Grade 6-8 Category, by E. D. from Sanford Middle School (Seminole County)

Grade 9-12 Category
No Winner

The winner of each category will receive a certificate and a monetary award of $50. The teacher who guided the winner of each category will receive a school supply funding of $100.

The winner of each category also advances to the national 2023 CCEW Illustrated Poem Contest. The full results of the national contest can be found at ACS website. If you have any comments or questions regarding the local contest, please contact the local section’s coordinator of the contest (Dr. Duy Le, submission@orlandoacs.org).

2023 CCEW Illustrated Poem Contest: The Curious Chemistry of Amazing Algae

The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS) is hosting an illustrated poem contest for students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. Entries must be sponsored by a local school or community group for verification purposes.

Contest_Deadline:Sunday, April 30, 2023 at 11:59 PM Eastern
Local Prizes: One winner will be awarded ($50) for each of the flowing categories:
Grades K-2     Grades 3-5     Grades 6-8     Grades 9-12
The teacher who guided the winner will receive a small funding ($100) for classroom supplies.
Local Contact:Duy Le (submission@orlandoacs.org)
Submission:Illustrated poem and submission form must be submitted to https://forms.gle/XVLtvkiqLtbGHfB79
or emailed to submission@orlandoacs.org

Winners of the Orlando Section’s Illustrated Poem Contest will advance to the National Illustrated Poem Contest for a chance to be featured on the ACS website and to win prizes!

How to participate:

Write and illustrate a poem using the CCEW theme, “The Curious Chemistry of Amazing Algae.” Your poem must be no more than 40 words and in the following styles to be considered:

HAIKU  –  LIMERICK  –  ODE  –  ABC POEM  –  FREE VERSE  –  END RHYME  –  BLANK VERSE

Possible topics related to the theme include:

  • Seaweed
  • Micro- or macro-algae
  • Photosynthesis
  • Bioluminescent algae
  • Algae as food & habitat for animals
  • Consumer products from algae
  • Oxygen from algae
  • Biofuels from algae

Entries will be judged based upon:

  • Artistic Merit – use of color, quality of drawing, design & layout
  • Poem Message – fun, motivational, inspiring about yearly theme
  • Originality Creativity – unique, clever and/or creative design
  • Neatness – free of spelling and grammatical errors

Contest rules:

·   All poems must be no more than 40 words, and in one of the following styles to be considered: Haiku, Limerick, Ode, ABC poem, Free verse, End rhyme, and Blank verse.
·   Entries are judged based upon relevance to and incorporation of the NCW theme, word choice and imagery, colorful artwork, adherence to poem style, originality and creativity, and overall presentation.
·   All entries must be original works without aid from others. Poems may be submitted by hand on an unlined sheet of paper not larger than 11” by 14” or scanned and sent via email. Illustrations may be created using crayons, watercolors, other types of paint, colored pencils, or markers. The illustration may also be electronically created by using a digital painting and drawing app on a computer, tablet, or mobile device.
·   The text of the poem should be easy to read and may be typed before the hand-drawn or digital illustration is added, or the poem may be written on lined paper, which is cut out and pasted onto the unlined paper with the illustration.
·   No clipart or unoriginal images can be used.
·   Only one entry per student will be accepted; all entries must include an entry form. If the illustration is created using a digital painting or drawing app, the name of the program must be included on the entry form.
·   Acceptance of prizes constitutes consent to use winners’ first name, and entry for editorial, advertising, and publicity purposes.

Download submission form and this flyer.

Examples (2022 National winners)

Results of 2022 NCW Illustrated Poem Contest: Fabulous Fibers: The Chemistry of Fabrics

hosted 2022 NCW Illustrated Poem Contest for K-12 students in Central Florida. The theme of the contest is “Fabulous Fibers: The Chemistry of Fabrics.”

The contest received many entries from multiple schools. Thanks to the teachers who brought the contest to students’ attention.

Results of local contest:

K-2 Category
No winner

Grade 3-5 Category
Winner: Christienne Jette Tenerife from George Marks Elementary

Grade 6-8 Category
Winner: Tyler Segrest from Tuskawilla Middle School

Grade 9-12 Category
No winner

The winner of each category will receive a certificate and a monetary award of $50. The teacher who guided the winner of each category will receive a school supply funding of $100.

The winner of each category also advances to the national 2022 NCW Illustrated Poem Contest. The full results of national contest can be found at ACS Website.

If you have any comments or questions regarding the local contest, please contact the local section’s coordinator of the contest (Dr. Duy Le, contact@orlandoacs.org).

2022 NCW Illustrated Poem Contest: Fabulous Fibers: The Chemistry of Fabrics

The Orlando Section of the American Chemical Society (ACS) is hosting an illustrated poem contest for students in Kindergarten through 12th grade. Entries must be sponsored by a local school or community group for verification purposes.

Contest_Deadline:Wednesday, October 26, 2022 at 11:59 PM Eastern
Local Prizes: One winner will be awarded ($50) for each of the flowing categories:
Grades K-2     Grades 3-5     Grades 6-8     Grades 9-12
The teacher who guided the winner will receive ($100) funding for classroom supplies.
Local Contact:Duy Le (submission@orlandoacs.org)
Submission:Illustrated poem and submission form must be submitted to https://forms.gle/WXhnVY9WPPZTzVWN7 or email to submission@orlandoacs.org

Winners of the Orlando Section’s Illustrated Poem Contest will advance to the National Illustrated Poem Contest for a chance to be featured on the ACS website and to win prizes!

How to participate:

Write and illustrate a poem using the CCEW theme, “Fabulous Fibers: The Chemistry of Fabrics.” Your poem must be no more than 40 words and in the following styles to be considered:

HAIKU  –  LIMERICK  –  ODE  –  ABC POEM  –  FREE VERSE  –  END RHYME  –  BLANK VERSE

Possible topics related to the CCEW 2021 theme include:

  • Natural fiber
  • Synthetic fiber
  • Chemical synthesis
  • Polymers
  • Dyeing fabrics
  • Hydrophilic
  • Hydrophobic
  • Properties of fabrics

Entries will be judged based upon:

  • Artistic Merit – use of color, quality of drawing, design & layout
  • Poem Message – fun, motivational, inspiring about yearly theme
  • Originality Creativity – unique, clever and/or creative design
  • Neatness – free of spelling and grammatical errors

Contest rules:

·   All poems must be no more than 40 words, and in one of the following styles to be considered: Haiku, Limerick, Ode, ABC poem, Free verse, End rhyme, and Blank verse.
·   Entries are judged based upon relevance to and incorporation of the NCW theme, word choice and imagery, colorful artwork, adherence to poem style, originality and creativity, and overall presentation.
·   All entries must be original works without aid from others. Poems may be submitted by hand on an unlined sheet of paper not larger than 11” by 14” or scanned and sent via email. Illustrations may be created using crayons, watercolors, other types of paint, colored pencils, or markers. The illustration may also be electronically created by using a digital painting and drawing app on a computer, tablet, or mobile device.
·   The text of the poem should be easy to read and may be typed before the hand-drawn or digital illustration is added, or the poem may be written on lined paper, which is cut out and pasted onto the unlined paper with the illustration.
·   No clipart or unoriginal images can be used.
·   Only one entry per student will be accepted; all entries must include an entry form. If the illustration is created using a digital painting or drawing app, the name of the program must be included on the entry form.
·   Acceptance of prizes constitutes consent to use winners’ first name, and entry for editorial, advertising, and publicity purposes.

Download this Flyer and submission form

Examples (2021 National winners)

2022 CCEW Illustrated Poem Contest: Results

Winner of K-2 Category
Winner of Grade K-2 category (Local Contest):
Ranvitha Vivek, 1st grader from Heathrow Elementary School (Lake Mary)
Winner of K-2 Category
Winner of grade 3-5 Category
Winner of Grade 3-5 category (Local Contest):
Lakshitha Bhandari, a 4th grader, from Goldsboro Elementary Magnet School (Sanford)
Winner of grade 3-5 Category
Runner-up of grade 3-5 Category
Runner-up of Grade 3-5 category (Local Contest):
Aadhav Kumar, a 3rd grader, from Wilson Elementary School (Sanford)
Runner-up of grade 3-5 Category
Runner-up of grade 3-5 Category
Runner-up of Grade 3-5 category (Local Contest):
Mackenzie Gordon, a 4th grader, from English Estates Elementary (Fern Park)
Runner-up of grade 3-5 Category
Winner of grade 9-12 Category
Winner of Grade 9-12 category (Local Contest):
Eric Segrest, a 10th grader, from Lake Highland Prep School (Orlando)
Winner of grade 9-12 Category
1st Place of grade K-2 Category
1st Place of Grade K-2 category (National Contest):
Second Grader, Stonemill Elementary School, Chemical Society of Washington
1st Place of grade K-2 Category
2nd Place of grade K-2 Category
Second Place of Grade K-2 category (National Contest):
Second Grader, Capital Montessori School, Puget Sound Local Section
2nd Place of grade K-2 Category
1st Place of grade 3-5 Category
1st Place of Grade 3-5 category (National Contest):
Fifth Grader, Jumoke Academy at the Hartford Conservatory, Connecticut Valley Local Section
1st Place of grade 3-5 Category
2nd Place of grade 3-5 Category
2nd Place of Grade 3-5 category (National Contest):
Fifth Grader, Howard Drive Elementary, South Florida Local Section
2nd Place of grade 3-5 Category
1st Place of grade 6-8 Category
1st Place of Grade 6-8 category (National Contest):
Sixth Grader, Jefferson Middle School, Midland Local Section
1st Place of grade 6-8 Category
2nd Place of grade 6-8 Category
2nd Place of Grade 6-8 category (National Contest):
Seventh Grader, The Harker School, Silicon Valley Local Section
2nd Place of grade 6-8 Category
1st Place of grade 9-12 Category
1st Place of Grade 9-12 category (National Contest):
Eleventh Grader, Calloway County High School, Kentucky Lake Local Section
1st Place of grade 9-12 Category
2nd Place of grade 9-12 Category
2nd Place of Grade 9-12 category (National Contest):
Eleventh Grader, PA Leadership Charter School, Pittsburgh Local Section
2nd Place of grade 9-12 Category
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To promote the positive role that chemistry plays in the world, the American Chemical Society (ACS) established the Chemists Celebrate Earth Week (CCEW) public awareness campaign. Among many other activities, the Orlando Section of the ACS hosted 2022 CCEW Illustrated Poem Contest for K-12 students in Central Florida. The theme of the contest is “The Buzz About Bugs: Insect Chemistry.”

The contest received many entries from multiple schools. Thanks to the teachers who brought the contest to students’ attention.

Results of local contest:

Grade K-2 Category
Winner: Ranvitha Vivek from Heathrow Elementary School, guided by Amber Mash

Grade 3-5 Category*
Winner: Lakshitha Bhandari from Goldsboro Elementary Magnet School, guided by Mary Lynn Hess
Runner-up: Aadhav  Kumar from Wilson Elementary School, guided by Nicole Chavez
Runner-up: Mackenzie Gordon from English Estates Elementary, guided by Kelly Atterbury

Grade 6-8 Category
No winner

Grade 9-12 Category
Winner: Eric Segrest from Lake Highland Preparatory School, guided by Steve Math

The winner of each category will receive a certificate and a monetary award of $50. The runners-up of Grade 3-5 category will receive a certificate and a monetary award of $25. The teacher who guided the winner of each category and the runners-up of Grade 3-5 category will receive a school supply funding of $100 and $50, respectively.

The winner of each category also advances to the national 2022 CCEW Illustrated Poem Contest. The full results of national contest can be found at ACS Website.

If you have any comments or questions regarding the local contest, please contact the local section’s CCEW coordinator (Dr. Duy Le, duy.le@ucf.edu).

* Because Grade 3-5 category received a large number of high-quality entries, the executive committee of the local section voted to give two tied runner-up awards for this category.