GardenABCs
Student Contests & Scholarships
Students can participate in many contests and scholarships that are garden- and environment-based. Take a look and get your children / students involved! We'll update entry deadlines as we learn more. 
Bayer Advanced Forever Growing Gardens...Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow Poster Contest
Create a poster that represents how gardens have changed over time and the impact of gardens on individuals and communities. $1,500 Grand Prize and two $250 Honorable Mention prizes.
Bonnie Plants Third Grade Cabbage Program
The Bonnie’s 3rd Grade Cabbage Program distributes free cabbage plants to third-grade classrooms whose teachers sign up to participate. This year 1,200,000 third graders will plant and take care of their own cabbage plants. Learn more about the program, which also awards a $1,000 scholarship to one student in each state.
Brower Youth Awards
Honors six young people for activism and achievements in environmental and social justice advocacy
California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom Imagine This
Writing contest for California students in grades 3-8.
California School Garden Contest
Open to California public, private, and charter schools, grades K-12, with instructional garden programs. Gardens should be used for academic instruction and must contain some form of edible crops. School gardens in existence for less than two years are not eligible. California School Garden Network
Cooking Up Change National Healthy Cooking Contest
Healthy Schools Campaign and the National Farm to School Network challenge students to a national competition to design a healthy school lunch. Using only ingredients commonly available for food service, the mission is to create a healthy meal that includes a locally grown item, meets strict nutritional guidelines, and tastes great. Three teams of students from each division (high school and college) will be selected to receive an all-expenses paid trip to Taking Root, the National Farm to Cafeteria conference this May in Detroit, Michigan to compete in the finals. In the final round, each team will prepare their meal and serve to a panel of prestigious judges. The winning team will head home with a trophy and other fabulous prizes. We are thrilled to welcome Karen Duncan, wife of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and Christie Vilsack, wife of Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, as National Honorary Co-Chairs of Cooking up Change.
Washington, DC School Garden Photo Contest - View Winners!
In celebration of the 3rd annual D.C. School Garden Week, October 5-10, 2009, the D.C. Enviornmental Education Consortium sponsored a photography contest for all D.C. students K-12th grade. View the winning photos! What a great way to connect gardens, kids and (digital) technology!!
Film Your Issue 2010 Competition
Have a solution to problems with the environment, economic recession, education, healthcare, human/equal rights, national security/defense, poverty, public service or technology? Film Your Issue at www.youtube.com/filmyourissue or submit it through a song at www.youtube.com/whatsyourissuemusic. The Film Your Issue competition, in its 5th year, is looking for solution-project ideas to front-burner issues from young adults 14 to 24 in a 3-minute video format, with accompanying one-sheet description. Winning solution-projects will be presented to senior officials in the Obama administration, broadcast on screens in every Best Buy store on the planet, presented at a VIP reception in Washington, DC. Winners will be flown to Los Angeles for the Awards ceremony co-hosted by Sony Pictures Studios. Prizes include an Apple MacBook and iPod Touches, and Sundance Film Festival 2011 Film School Pass. www.whatsyourissue.tv
Get Green Video Contest
High School students: Planet Connect wants you to make a creative video that shows how you are reducing your carbon footprint –whether it’s biking, using less water, walking more, etc. We know you can make a difference. Here’s your chance to inspire others! View YouTube commercial.
Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
Nominate a young service-learning leader for a $2,500 Barron Prize! The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes seeks nominations for its 2010 awards. The Barron Prize honors young people ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people and our planet. Each year, ten national winners each receive $2,500 to support their service work or higher education.
Illinois Art on a Rain Barrel Contest
Open to creative, eco-conscious
Illinois EPA 2009 Poster, Poetry and Prose Contest
For Illinois 5th and 6th grade writers and artists ; theme: “Your Water Footprint…Keep it Small, Keep it Clean!
Illinois EPA Green Youth Award
Reconizing Illinois youth working on environmental and conservation friendly projects
Increase Your Green School Compeition
A panel of expert judges will review how well your school reduced waste, saved energy, got creative, and used technology to go green. Winning schools will receive up to $5,000 in environmental funding plus sweet HP computers!
JMG 2009 Coconut Float Song Video Contest
Three winners will be selected and will each receive a free JMG curriculum. The first place winner will also win classroom mega set of kid's gardening hand tools
LifeLab School Garden Video Contest
Produce a 30-second to two-minute video that answers the following question: “How does the garden help you grow?” Win up to $400 in cash and supplies
Kohl's Kids Who Care Scholarship Program
Recognizes and rewards young volunteers (ages 6-18) who help make their communities better places.
Park Seed Get My Classroom Growing Essay Contest
Play with Your Produce Healthy Challenge Teacher Contest
PBS and Produce For Kids
Planet Connect High School Student Grants
Do you have an innovative solution to protect the environment? Planet Connect is
looking for your creative ideas to fix an environmental problem at your school or community. Grant winners receive $1,000 awards to support your ideas and provide you with a local environmental internship.
President's Environmental Youth Awards
The US Environmental Protection Agency’s program recognizes young people across America for projects that demonstrate their commitment to the environment.
Real Food Is - National Video Contest
Students are challenged to define what real food means to them by creating a short video that completes the phrase "Real Food is..." Created by the National Farm to School Network and sponsored by the Lunch Box, this contest is open to K-12 and college students and runs until March 29, 2010. The winners will receive $1,000 and an all expenses paid trip to the conference to show their videos at the opening plenary.
Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge
Offers a unique way for student teams to create sustainable local solutions that can have global impact. Deadline for elementary groups - Jan 31; for middle school groups - Mar 15.
Tweet Home Chicago: Birdhouse Design + Build Contest
The City of Chicago and its partners invite you to participate in an exciting bird house design and build competition: Tweet Home Chicago. We are hosting the competition as part of our on-going effort to raise awareness about the importance of birds and bird-friendly habitat in Chicago in a tangible and fun way.
UNA-USA National High School Essay Contest
Young Naturalist Awards Competition
American
Volvo Adventure Competition
For high school students; in partnership with the United National Environment Programme; other contests for students age 10-12
"Yes to Carrots" Seed Fund Grant ~ Due May 20
Public schools for grades K-8 are invited to create a video or write an essay describing why your school would love to build a new garden or give your existing school garden some TLC. Recipients will receive $5,000, a one-year gift of gardening supplies from the Kellogg Foundation, and a dedicated message and gift from personalized 'Garden Ambassador' Emmanuelle Chriqui.
Write On! Wetlands Challenge
Mystery writing contest for grades 6-8; illustration challenge for grades K-5
Why I’m a Victory Grower” video contest
Tell us why you’re a Victory Grower and how that affects who you want to be and what you want to do in the future. Maybe you really just like playing in the dirt, but deep down, gardening, farming or otherwise raising good food supports the American economy, preserves natural resources and can help stamp out hunger. Sponsored by Food Independence Day.
Create a poster that represents how gardens have changed over time and the impact of gardens on individuals and communities. $1,500 Grand Prize and two $250 Honorable Mention prizes.
Bonnie Plants Third Grade Cabbage Program
The Bonnie’s 3rd Grade Cabbage Program distributes free cabbage plants to third-grade classrooms whose teachers sign up to participate. This year 1,200,000 third graders will plant and take care of their own cabbage plants. Learn more about the program, which also awards a $1,000 scholarship to one student in each state.
Brower Youth Awards
Honors six young people for activism and achievements in environmental and social justice advocacy
California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom Imagine This
Writing contest for California students in grades 3-8.
California School Garden Contest
Open to California public, private, and charter schools, grades K-12, with instructional garden programs. Gardens should be used for academic instruction and must contain some form of edible crops. School gardens in existence for less than two years are not eligible. California School Garden Network
Cooking Up Change National Healthy Cooking Contest
Healthy Schools Campaign and the National Farm to School Network challenge students to a national competition to design a healthy school lunch. Using only ingredients commonly available for food service, the mission is to create a healthy meal that includes a locally grown item, meets strict nutritional guidelines, and tastes great. Three teams of students from each division (high school and college) will be selected to receive an all-expenses paid trip to Taking Root, the National Farm to Cafeteria conference this May in Detroit, Michigan to compete in the finals. In the final round, each team will prepare their meal and serve to a panel of prestigious judges. The winning team will head home with a trophy and other fabulous prizes. We are thrilled to welcome Karen Duncan, wife of Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, and Christie Vilsack, wife of Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack, as National Honorary Co-Chairs of Cooking up Change.
Washington, DC School Garden Photo Contest - View Winners!
In celebration of the 3rd annual D.C. School Garden Week, October 5-10, 2009, the D.C. Enviornmental Education Consortium sponsored a photography contest for all D.C. students K-12th grade. View the winning photos! What a great way to connect gardens, kids and (digital) technology!!
Film Your Issue 2010 Competition
Have a solution to problems with the environment, economic recession, education, healthcare, human/equal rights, national security/defense, poverty, public service or technology? Film Your Issue at www.youtube.com/filmyourissue or submit it through a song at www.youtube.com/whatsyourissuemusic. The Film Your Issue competition, in its 5th year, is looking for solution-project ideas to front-burner issues from young adults 14 to 24 in a 3-minute video format, with accompanying one-sheet description. Winning solution-projects will be presented to senior officials in the Obama administration, broadcast on screens in every Best Buy store on the planet, presented at a VIP reception in Washington, DC. Winners will be flown to Los Angeles for the Awards ceremony co-hosted by Sony Pictures Studios. Prizes include an Apple MacBook and iPod Touches, and Sundance Film Festival 2011 Film School Pass. www.whatsyourissue.tv
Get Green Video Contest
High School students: Planet Connect wants you to make a creative video that shows how you are reducing your carbon footprint –whether it’s biking, using less water, walking more, etc. We know you can make a difference. Here’s your chance to inspire others! View YouTube commercial.
Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
Nominate a young service-learning leader for a $2,500 Barron Prize! The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes seeks nominations for its 2010 awards. The Barron Prize honors young people ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people and our planet. Each year, ten national winners each receive $2,500 to support their service work or higher education.
Illinois Art on a Rain Barrel Contest
Open to creative, eco-conscious
Illinois EPA 2009 Poster, Poetry and Prose Contest
For Illinois 5th and 6th grade writers and artists ; theme: “Your Water Footprint…Keep it Small, Keep it Clean!
Illinois EPA Green Youth Award
Reconizing Illinois youth working on environmental and conservation friendly projects
Increase Your Green School Compeition
A panel of expert judges will review how well your school reduced waste, saved energy, got creative, and used technology to go green. Winning schools will receive up to $5,000 in environmental funding plus sweet HP computers!
JMG 2009 Coconut Float Song Video Contest
Three winners will be selected and will each receive a free JMG curriculum. The first place winner will also win classroom mega set of kid's gardening hand tools
LifeLab School Garden Video Contest
Produce a 30-second to two-minute video that answers the following question: “How does the garden help you grow?” Win up to $400 in cash and supplies
Kohl's Kids Who Care Scholarship Program
Recognizes and rewards young volunteers (ages 6-18) who help make their communities better places.
Park Seed Get My Classroom Growing Essay Contest
Play with Your Produce Healthy Challenge Teacher Contest
PBS and Produce For Kids
Planet Connect High School Student Grants
Do you have an innovative solution to protect the environment? Planet Connect is
looking for your creative ideas to fix an environmental problem at your school or community. Grant winners receive $1,000 awards to support your ideas and provide you with a local environmental internship.
President's Environmental Youth Awards
The US Environmental Protection Agency’s program recognizes young people across America for projects that demonstrate their commitment to the environment.
Real Food Is - National Video Contest
Students are challenged to define what real food means to them by creating a short video that completes the phrase "Real Food is..." Created by the National Farm to School Network and sponsored by the Lunch Box, this contest is open to K-12 and college students and runs until March 29, 2010. The winners will receive $1,000 and an all expenses paid trip to the conference to show their videos at the opening plenary.
Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge
Offers a unique way for student teams to create sustainable local solutions that can have global impact. Deadline for elementary groups - Jan 31; for middle school groups - Mar 15.
Tweet Home Chicago: Birdhouse Design + Build Contest
The City of Chicago and its partners invite you to participate in an exciting bird house design and build competition: Tweet Home Chicago. We are hosting the competition as part of our on-going effort to raise awareness about the importance of birds and bird-friendly habitat in Chicago in a tangible and fun way.
UNA-USA National High School Essay Contest
Young Naturalist Awards Competition
American
Volvo Adventure Competition
For high school students; in partnership with the United National Environment Programme; other contests for students age 10-12
"Yes to Carrots" Seed Fund Grant ~ Due May 20
Public schools for grades K-8 are invited to create a video or write an essay describing why your school would love to build a new garden or give your existing school garden some TLC. Recipients will receive $5,000, a one-year gift of gardening supplies from the Kellogg Foundation, and a dedicated message and gift from personalized 'Garden Ambassador' Emmanuelle Chriqui.
Write On! Wetlands Challenge
Mystery writing contest for grades 6-8; illustration challenge for grades K-5
Why I’m a Victory Grower” video contest
Tell us why you’re a Victory Grower and how that affects who you want to be and what you want to do in the future. Maybe you really just like playing in the dirt, but deep down, gardening, farming or otherwise raising good food supports the American economy, preserves natural resources and can help stamp out hunger. Sponsored by Food Independence Day.
