Maryland Forest Service Launched Poster Contest
Seventh-grade students across Maryland are invited to create original wildfire safety artwork.
Updated on Sept. 19, 2026 in Asthma
Live Poll
Do you believe school-based contests are effective tools for teaching children about wildfire safety?
The Maryland Forest Service has launched a statewide Smokey Bear poster contest for seventh-grade students. This initiative encourages students to share the message: Only YOU can prevent wildfires!
Why it matters
The contest serves as an educational tool designed to increase student awareness regarding wildfire safety and the importance of forest conservation. It marks a community engagement effort tied to the agency's 120th anniversary.
The Maryland Forest Service is celebrating its 120th anniversary. Eligibility for the contest is limited to seventh-grade classrooms and homeschool groups, with each school permitted to submit exactly one entry.
The players
Maryland Forest Service
This state agency is responsible for the protection and management of Maryland's forest resources and is celebrating its 120th anniversary.
Smokey Bear
Created in 1944, he is the long-standing official mascot of the United States Forest Service used to promote wildfire prevention.
The details
Students must create original artwork featuring the classic Smokey Bear wildfire prevention message to compete. Submissions undergo a regional judging process before the top entries advance to a statewide competition.
Timeline
November 2: Deadline for contest entries.
Late November to mid-December: Notification period for winning teachers.
Deeper Dive
This state-level initiative follows the decades-long pattern established by the national Smokey Bear wildfire prevention campaign. By localizing the effort, the agency integrates its anniversary celebration with the historic public service mandate.
Seventh-grade students can participate by working with their teachers or homeschool instructors to develop their entries. Winning classrooms will receive a Smokey Bear fire danger sign to display at their school.
The takeaway
Participating in such programs helps students internalize critical conservation lessons while competing for recognition. Educators and students should prioritize the November 2 deadline to ensure their original artwork is considered.
Further reading
Learn more about local health and environmental initiatives on the Maryland Asthma page.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The MoCo Show.
Live Poll
Do you believe school-based contests are effective tools for teaching children about wildfire safety?
