Lenoir Soil & Water Conservation District Education Contest and

NC Coastal Envirothon

WE ALL LIVE IN A

WATERSHED!

CONTEST THEME

Contest you can participate in!

3^rd-5^th Grade

6^th-12^th Grade

Computer Slide Show Contest

Essay

Contest

Public Speaking Contest

Poster Contest

Poster Contest

3^rd-5^th Grades

Poster Board or Cardboard

24x36 in size

Flat (not rolled)

Can be any color

1/8” or smaller mounted materials

Front of Poster

• Title: “We All Live in a Watershed”
• Hand drawn pictures
• Conservation message about watersheds

Back of Poster

• Student Information

Do not put your name, grade, school information, or pictures of yourself on the front of

your poster.

Public Speaking Contest

6^th-12^th Grades

Record yourself giving your speech

Conservation message about watershed

4-6 minutes long

No visual aids

Dress appropriately

Do not say your name,

grade, or school information in your speech.

Student information on contest entry submission

Studentname-school-grade

Essay Contest

6^th-12^th Grades

Title: “We All Live in a Watershed”

Conservation message about watersheds

Handwritten or typed

300-500 words

Student information on last page

Do not include your name, grade, or school information in your paper or on the front of your paper.

Computer Slide Show Contest

6^th-12^th Grades

​

​

Google Slides or PowerPoint

15 slides MAX

Slide animation and audio is allowed

Videos are not allowed

Do not include your name,

grade, school information, or pictures of yourself in

your presentation.

Student information on last slide after a blank slide

1^st slide - Title

“We All Live in a Watershed”

Student Information

LENOIR

LENOIR

Poster Contest – Back of Poster

Computer Slide Show Contest – Last Slide after a blank slide

Essay Contest – Last Page of Paper

Public Speaking Contest –

Entry Submission in Google Drive

Studentname-school-grade

How do I turn in my contest entry?

Posters will be picked up at your school.

Google Drive link sent to your teacher

Studentname-school-grade

Poster Contest

Essay, Computer Slide Show, and Public Speaking Contest

Contest Deadline is

January 30, 2026

How does the

contest work?

District Contest

​

1^st place winners will advance to the Area 6 Contest.

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Area Contest

​

1^st place Area 6 winners will advance to the State Contest.

State Contest

​

1^st place Area 6 winners will compete

District Winners

1^st-3^rd place will receive a certificate & money prize

Area Winners

1^st place will receive a trophy & money prize

State Winners

1^st place - $200

2^nd place - $100

What do I put on my contest entry?

What watershed and river basin your

school is in.

How human actions are polluting watersheds and their negative impacts on the community.

Actions we can take to keep our watersheds clean.

(Best Management Practices)

Why is important to keep watersheds healthy.

What is a watershed?

A watershed is an area of land that channels rainfall and snowmelt into a specific body of water.

• Creeks
• Streams

• Rivers
• Oceans

What is a river basin?

A river basin is an area of land that is made of up several watersheds and contains the

main river.

What watershed and river basin are we in?

Neuse Watershed

Neuse River Basin

Hydrologic Unit Code

(HUC)

Each Watershed has a specific Hydrologic Unit Code to identify it.

In NC, there are 4 main HUC scales to identify drainage areas:

• 6-Digit: River Basin
• 8-Digit: Subbasin
• 10-Digit: Watershed
• 12-Digit: Subwatershed

Find your school HUC

Sediment is the #1 cause of water pollution in NC.

How are watersheds being polluted?

Erosion causes sediment (soil, gravel, and pebbles) to be washed away and enters nearby waters.

Implement best management practices to reduce soil movement into nearby waters.

How to care for our watersheds!

Do not litter!!

Create a sustainable water runoff system at your home, school, or community.

Best Management Practices

Cover Crop

Grassed Waterway

Residue & Tillage Management

Rain Garden

Why is it important to keep watersheds clean?

Clean drinking water

Regulate flooding

Support ecosystems and wildlife

Offer recreational activities

NC Coastal Envirothon

Competition

NC Coastal

Envirothon

Team of 5 members (2 alternates)

Competition categories:

• Wildlife
• Aquatics
• Forestry
• Soils
• Current Environmental Issues

Middle and High School Students

FFA Bubble Guppies

Woodington Middle School

Ask your local district about the Area Resource Boxes!

Understand wildlife ecology

• Environment/Habitat
• Food Webs
• Carrying Capacity

Wildlife

Wildlife Management and Conservation

• Endangered or Threatened Species
• Hunting
• Wildlife Management Tools

Water Cycle

• Surface water and groundwater
• Water structure and its importance

Aquatic Ecosystems

• Habitats and Food Chain
• Wetland, lake, pond, river, stream, brackish, freshwater, and saltwater ecosystems

Water Pollution

Aquatics

Forestry

Forestry Measurement Tools

• Biltmore Stick

Understand the importance of Forestry

• Ecological benefits
• Economic value

Forest Ecology

• Parts of Trees
• Life Cycles
• Identification

Soils

Importance of Soils

• Roles (nutrient cycles, water cycle, plant growth, and habitat)
• Ecosystems
• Organic Matter

Soil Profile/Properties

• Soil Triangle
• Texture

Current Environmental Issues

Review articles related to the topic

• Use Critical Thinking
• Issue Awareness
• Analytical Skills

2026 Current Issues Topic:

Non-Point Source Pollution

It Begins at Home!!

Thank you!!!

If you have any questions, please contact Elizabeth Spence at elizabeth.spence@lenoircountync.gov or

by calling 252-525-3734.