2025 Arbor Day Poster Contest Opens

DOVER, Del. (January 21, 2025)—The Delaware Forest Service is now seeking entries for its annual Arbor Day Poster Contest, open to all K-

5 public, private, homeschool, after-school, and other organized youth groups. The annual Arbor Day Poster Contest is the largest contest of its kind in the State of Delaware, with 61 schools participating in 2024; it is designed to increase an appreciation and awareness of trees’ important role in our quality of life, communities, ecosystems, and our state. The Arbor Day Poster Contest is a fun way to celebrate Arbor Day with your students.

 

This year’s theme, “Trees are Terrific…and Color Our World!” is dedicated to the beauty and wonderment of trees. There are many species of trees, each with its own unique shape, size, and color. Trees are a source of inspiration and enrichment throughout the year, as their appearance changes with the seasons. Redbuds, dogwoods, and cherry trees bloom pink flowers in the spring. The red maple is known for its red flowers, red leaf stems (petioles), red seeds (samaras), and red leaves in the fall! The American beech can be appreciated for its grey bark throughout the year, and sweet gums’ leaves turn orange, red, yellow, and even purple in the fall. What will inspire you?

Posters will be judged on originality, use of theme, neatness, and artistic expression. Each winner receives a gift card, a tree-themed book, and a tree planting at their school. Twelve winners will be selected, one from each county, in four grade categories: kindergarten, grades 1 and 2, grades 3 and 4, and grade 5. All participating classes will receive free loblolly pine seedlings delivered to their school.

Teachers can register their classes to participate using the 2025 Arbor Day

Poster Contest – Google Form available at https://forms.gle/SzqFpbdZhQKoghG89.

Traditionally, the Governor and the 12 winners will be invited to the annual Statewide Arbor Day Celebration. This year, the Celebration will be held at Blackbird State Forest in Smyrna. While Delaware’s Official Arbor Day is Friday, April 25, the celebration will be held on May 2. A tree-planting ceremony will also be scheduled at each winner’s school to celebrate Arbor Day. This year, the teacher of each of the 12 poster winners will receive a “Tree Trunk” of outdoor learning resources. The deadline to register is March 7, with entries submitted by March 21.

Planting a tree is a fun activity we can enjoy today, knowing that the tree will continue to improve our lives over time. Trees planted throughout our communities not only provide beauty but help shade our streets and schoolyards and create habitat and food for wildlife. Trees planted today will benefit our communities tomorrow by improving air quality, serving as sound barriers, moderating air temperatures, reducing energy consumption, and filtering run-off into streams and rivers.

For more information, contact: (302) 698-4551, ashley.melvin@delaware.gov