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04-Feb-2025 11:59 PM (GMT -6:00)

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2025 National Poison Prevention Week Contest

Contest Summary

The National Poison Prevention Week Council is holding a contest to raise awareness among students K-12 nationwide. The 2025 theme is “When the Unexpected Happens, Poison Help is here for you.” You can help tell your friends about poison dangers and how to stay safe from poisoning!

If you are a student in grades 5-12, you can create a video.

If you are a student in grades K-4, you can participate in the poster contest.

You could win a cash prize! For more information, read the details below.

What is the goal of the video and poster contest?

  • To enhance participants knowledge of poison prevention and home safety.
  • To create poison prevention safety messaging by kids for kids.
  • How would you show poison prevention and home safety to your friends? Create a video that is something you would want to see.
  • To use the safety messaging created by this contest to educate the public about the dangers of poisons. The winning videos will be featured in America’s Poison Centers resources throughout the year.
  • Raise awareness of the free Poison Help line, 1-800-222-1222.

Need some inspiration?

Video Contest for Kids in Grades 5-12

  • The video contest is open to all 5th through 12th graders in the United States.
  • Videos can be created by individuals or groups. Groups can consist of up to 4 people.
    • If submitting as a group, the group must designate a group leader to submit their video on the group's behalf. The group leader will receive contest communications for the group. All group members will be notified if the group is a winner.
  • Each participant’s parent or guardian must complete a Consent and Media Release Form. These forms are required to be uploaded when the final video submission is uploaded.
    • Participants over the age of 18 can complete the form without a parent or guardian’s signature.
  • Make a video by yourself or get together with your friends in a group of up to 4.
  • Come up with your content idea for your video. The best videos tell a story. Some possible ideas to get you started:
    • Tell your friends about poison dangers lurking at home, at school, or even outdoors.
    • Share some tips to stay safe from poisoning.
  • Film the video.
  • Make sure you have all the listed requirements outlined below.
  • Submit your video by February 4, 2025 by 11:59 p.m. CST
  • All videos must include and promote the Poison Help line: 1-800-222-1222.
  • All videos must include and promote the Poison Help logo which can be found HERE.
  • Videos should NOT:
    • Contain copyrighted content unless permission is granted by the copyright owner in writing. Please include evidence of the permission granted when submitting the video. 
      • Copyrighted content may include stock images, gifs, clips, music, or other elements of any commercial brands or characters. 
    • Include pet poisoning topics. 
  • Videos should consider using accessibility features such as subtitles, alt-text, etc.
  • Videos should aim to illustrate what poison risks exist in the home (like medicines or household chemicals) and actions that can be taken to keep families safe (including packaging, safe storage, etc.). Some potential topics that you could focus on include:
    • Keep potentially dangerous products in the original packaging.
    • Store medicines and household products where children cannot see or reach them. Locked cupboards are preferred.
    • Read the label. Follow the directions on medicines and products.
    • Save the Poison Help number in your phone. If you think someone has been poisoned, call your local poison center right away – 1-800-222-1222.
    • Almost anything can be poisonous if used in the wrong way, in the wrong amount, by the wrong person.
    • It could happen to you. Share a story of a dangerous encounter and how the Poison Help line benefited those involved.
    • Child resistant does not mean child proof.
  • The official entry form found here must be completed.
  • Student(s) must name their video file with their name (or group name), grade level, and school/organization (ex: Joe_video_GR4_HopeSchool or Joe_video_GR4_GirlScoutTroop90622).
    • Please make sure that your video files are named correctly before uploading them.
  • Grade Level Groupings: Grades 5-8 & Grades 9-12.
  • If your group consists of members in more than one grade level group, the entry will be counted in the category that corresponds with the oldest group member.
    • Example: A group has 1 student in Grade 7, 2 students in Grade 8 and 1 student in Grade 9, so the video would be entered as a Grade 9 video.
  • For each student: their full name, email address, phone number, mailing address, age, grade level, school or sponsoring organization, and parent/guardian information must be submitted on the entry form. For groups:
    • The first student listed will be considered the primary contact for the group for all contest communications.
    • All group members first and last name, email address, and phone number must be provided on the entry form.
  • Videos must be no longer than 2 minutes.
  • Videos must be uploaded as an MP4 file. Files cannot be larger than 250 MB. Online video converter platforms are available to convert other file formats such as MOV files to MP4 files:

Poster Contest (Grades K-4)

  • The poster contest is open to all K through 4th graders in the United States.
  • Each participant’s parent or guardian must complete a Consent and Media Release Form. These forms are required to be uploaded when the final poster submission is uploaded.
  • A poster or drawing. Note: Please do not write your name on the front of the drawing to protect your privacy/the student’s privacy.
  • Make a poster or drawing that tells your friends about poison dangers lurking at home, school, or even outdoors. Or you can draw a poison safety tip they can use to prevent poisoning.
  • Make sure you have included all the necessary poster contest requirements listed below. 
  • Submit your poster or drawing by February 4, 2025 by 11:59 p.m. CST
  • For each student: their full name, email address, phone number, mailing address, age, grade level, school or sponsoring organization, and parent/guardian information must be submitted on the entry form. 
  • Posters must be uploaded with the following file name format: 
    • Student Name_Grade Level (GR)_school or sponsoring organization (ex. SamTree_GR2_OakMontessori or MaryStreet_GR4_BrownieTroop123). 
  • Acceptable poster formats include: JPG, JPEG, PNG, PDF.
  • Artwork must be original and created by the student. Entries should illustrate an original poison prevention message.
  • We encourage posters to be created using physical art mediums (markers, crayons, paint, pencils, chalk, construction paper), however digital art drawings will also be accepted.
  • Posters should not be larger than 11x17. 
  • All posters MUST include:
    • National Poison Prevention Week date: March 16-23, 2025
    • Poison Help line: 1- 800-222-1222
  • Commercial/cartoon characters, including but not limited to Disney princesses or SpongeBob SquarePants, state or regional logos, symbols (brand logos), or trademark symbols such as company and product names (Clorox, Tylenol, Motrin).
  • Pet poisoning topics.
  • Your name on the front of the drawing to protect your privacy/the student’s privacy.

We request that parents/guardians provide only support help in these posters, but the children are responsible for all the creative development portions of the posters.

Judging and Prize Details

Winners will be notified via email on Tuesday, February 25, 2024. Winners will also be announced on the NPPW Council Facebook and Instagram pages. 

  • Grand Prize: $1,000 total (split 50/50 students/sponsor org), and a paid trip to attend an Awards Ceremony in the Washington, D.C. area on Monday, March 17, 2025. 
  • 1st Place Grade 5-8: $200 total (split 50/50 student/sponsor org), and an invitation to attend an Awards Ceremony in the Washington, D.C. area on Monday, March 17, 2025.
  • 1st Place Grade 9-12: $200 total (split 50/50 student/sponsor org), and an invitation to attend an Awards Ceremony in the Washington, D.C. area on Monday, March 17, 2025.
  • People’s Choice: $100 for the People's Choice Winner, and an invitation to attend an Awards Ceremony in the Washington, D.C. area on Monday, March 17, 2025.
  • Grand Prize: $200 total (split 50/50 student/sponsor org), and an invitation to attend an Awards Ceremony in the Washington, D.C. area on Monday, March 17, 2025.
  • 1st Place Grade K-2: $100 total (split 50/50 student/sponsor org), and an invitation to attend an Awards Ceremony in the Washington, D.C. area on Monday, March 17, 2025.
  • 1st Place Grade 3-4: $100 total (split 50/50 student/sponsor org), and an invitation to attend an Awards Ceremony in the Washington, D.C. area on Monday, March 17, 2025.
  • People’s Choice: $50 for the People's Choice Winner, and an invitation to attend an Awards Ceremony in the Washington, D.C. area on Monday, March 17, 2025.

ALL entries will receive recognition through the public gallery. No personal information on the participants will be disclosed on the public gallery. 

  • Videos will be judged by the members of the National Poison Prevention Week Council.
  • The judging criteria includes:
    • Inclusion of the Poison Help line phone number.
    • Inclusion of the Poison Help logo.
    • Creativity of the video.
      • This can include the creativity of the story and ideas, originality of how the poison safety messaging is shared, creativity of the video visually.
    • Clarity and accuracy of poison prevention safety messaging.
    • Cohesiveness of the ideas and story.
    • Understandability of poison prevention safety messaging. 
    • Inclusion of accessibility elements. 
  • The public will be able to vote for their favorite video. The video with the highest vote tally at the end of the voting period will be awarded the Video People’s Choice prize.
  • A public gallery where all entries can be viewed will be opened on February 10, 2025 and will close on February 21, 2025.
  • To participate in the voting process:
    • You will need a free Judgify account.
    • You can watch all of the videos and vote for your favorites. 
    • Each voter is allowed to vote 5 times. Voting is for individual submissions only, multiple votes cannot be put towards 1 submission.
  • When public voting begins a link will be posted here. A link will also be shared on the NPPW Council Facebook and Instagram pages and the America’s Poison Centers Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages. 
  • Posters will be judged by the members of the National Poison Prevention Week Council.
  • The judging criteria includes:
    • Inclusion of the Poison Help line phone number.
    • Inclusion of the National Poison Prevention Week Dates. 
    • Creativity of the poster.
      • This can include the creativity of the picture, originality of how the poison safety messaging is shared, and the ideas presented in the poster.
    • Clarity and accuracy of poison prevention safety messaging.
    • The overall theme of the poster. 
    • Understandability of the poison prevention safety messaging. 
    • Inclusion of safety tips. 
  • The public will be able to vote for their favorite poster and the poster with the highest vote tally at the end of the voting period will be awarded the Poster People’s Choice prize.
  • A public gallery where all entries can be viewed will be opened on February 10, 2025 and will close on February 21, 2025.
  • To participate in the voting process:
    • You will need a free Judgify account.
    • You can view all of the posters and vote for your favorites. 
    • Each voter is allowed to vote 5 times. Voting is for individual submissions only, multiple votes cannot be put towards 1 submission.
    • When public voting begins a link will be posted here. A link will also be shared on the NPPW Council Facebook and Instagram pages and the America’s Poison Centers Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages.

If you have questions, please call National Poison Prevention Week Council Chair (Ms. Cordz) at 503-404-3232 or email: communications@poisoncenters.org.

Please note: This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed, or administered by, or associated with, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or any other social platform that it is advertised on.