Nebraska Severe Weather Awareness Poster Contest ends February 21

The springtime severe weather season is quickly approaching and that means it’s time for the 2014 Nebraska Severe Weather Awareness Poster Contest. The contest, sponsored by Nebraska Association of Emergency Management, the National Weather Service and the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency, is part of the annual Severe Weather Awareness Week effort of emergency management directors/coordinators across Nebraska.

The poster contest is open to all fourth-grade students in Nebraska public and private schools as well as home-schooled fourth-grade students. Teachers are encouraged to have students participate while teaching them about hazards of severe weather in Nebraska. While not specifically designed to promote tornado awareness, tornadoes are the most common theme chosen for posters. Lightning and flooding, which are also products of severe thunderstorms, are also good topic choices.

The first-place winner in the state contest wins a $125 gift card. Second-place winner receives a $100 gift card and third-place winner receives a $75 gift card. The Nebraska Association of Emergency Management provides the first, second and third place gift card awards. The fourth place poster winner will receive a $50 gift card sponsored by the National Weather Service. Also, all four winners will receive a NOAA All-Hazards Weather Alert Radio from the Saline County Emergency Management Agency.

Contest rules are as follows:
1. Poster artists must be a fourth-grade pupil in any Nebraska private, public or home school.
2.  Entries must be related to the theme of severe weather safety and will be judged on originality, effort and accuracy. All entries must be on an 11” x 17” sheet of white paper providing a 1 inch border to allow for matting the winning posters. Any medium may be used (crayon, paint, markers, etc.). Only one entry is allowed per pupil and no joint entries (posters by more than one person) will be accepted.
3. Each school is encouraged to conduct the contest. All entries must be received by the local emergency management director/coordinator or postmarked on or before Feb. 21, 2014. A list of directors/coordinators can be found at www.naem.us or www.nema.nebraska.gov
4. Each entry must include student name, age, complete home address, home telephone number, name of school, location of school and school phone number on the back side of the entry.
5.  Teachers are encouraged to contact the local emergency management director to assist in the selection of the “top three” entries from their school. If the local director is unavailable or unknown, please contact Mark Meints, poster contest chairman at 402-223-1305.
6. First, second, third and fourth place winners will be chosen. All winners will be notified by telephone or mail. The four winners and their parents will be invited to the State Capitol on Thursday, March 13, at 10 a.m., for the presentation of their awards from NAEM and NWS and be recognized by Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman.
7. Any questions regarding the 2014 Severe Weather Poster Contest should be directed to the local emergency management director/coordinator or to Mark Meints at 402-223-1305, email gagecoema@diodecom.net

Contest rules and other information can also be obtained at the Nebraska Association of Emergency Management website at www.naem.us. Poster judging will be February 28 by the Nebraska Association of Emergency Management and representatives from the National Weather Service and the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency.