National Chemistry Week (NCW) is a public awareness campaign that promotes the value of chemistry in everyday life. ACS members and chemistry enthusiasts celebrate NCW by coordinating events and communicating the importance of chemistry. Read more about NCW.
Celebrate National Chemistry Week 2021 the week of October 17–23, 2021 with the theme, "Fast or Slow...Chemistry Makes It Go!"
Southern Arizona Local Section of the American Chemical Society (SAZACS) is sponsoring an illustrated poem contest for students in Kindergarten through 12th grade.
This cross-curricular activity allows students to express their creativity while learning about chemistry. It is also a great opportunity for students and their school to be recognized on both state and national level. Former winners of NCW contest can be viewed on ACS site.
Contest Deadline: Sunday, October 24 at 11:59 PM
Prizes: Local Prizes: $25.00 gift certificate for 1st place in each grade category (K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12)
SAZACS will award a $25 gift certificate for the best poem in each grade category (K-2nd, 3-5th, 6-8th, 9-12th). Winners at the local section level are qualified for the national contest (national awards are $300 for first-place and $150 for second place).
To assist you with planning of the NCW- themed activities, the American Chemical Society has prepared multiple resources for grade K-12 students, including age-appropriate activities, short videos and lesson plans:
All poems must be no more than 40 words, and in one of the following styles to be considered: Haiku, Limerick, Ode, ABC poem, Free verse, End rhyme, and Blank verse.
Entries are judged based upon relevance to and incorporation of the yearly topic (2021 is reaction rates) and theme (2021 is Fast or Slow … Chemistry Makes It Go!), word choice and imagery, colorful artwork, adherence to poem style, originality and creativity, and overall presentation.
All entries must be original works without aid from others. Physical drawings may be scanned or captured via camera and submitted digitally. Illustrations may be created using crayons, watercolors, other types of paint, colored pencils, or markers.
The illustration may also be electronically created by using a digital painting and drawing app on a computer, tablet, or mobile device. If the illustration is created using a digital painting or drawing app, the name of the program must be included on the entry form.
The text of the poem should be easy to read and may be typed before the hand-drawn or digital illustration is added, or the poem may be written on lined paper, which is cut out and pasted onto the unlined paper with the illustration.
No clipart or unoriginal images can be used.
Only one entry per student will be accepted.
Students must be sponsored by a school or another sponsoring community group (e.g. Homeschool Association, Boys and Girls Club, Scout Troop, 4-H, etc.).
All illustrated poems and/or digital representations of the poems become the property of the American Chemical Society.
Acceptance of prizes constitutes consent to use winners’ names, likenesses, and entries for editorial, advertising, and publicity purposes.
