Safety first – it’s the UCT way!

Each year UCT sponsors a safety poster contest for students under age 19 in public, private and parochial schools and for all individuals with intellectual disabilities in special education classes or dedicated facilities across North America. This is a time-honored contest for our organization – schools and facilities are eligible to participate, once contacted by a UCT local council, and many councils have been coordinating poster contests for nearly 50 years.

Only posters with the subject of safety are considered, and the topics can be and usually are as diverse as the health dangers of second hand smoke to the importance of internet safety. Posters submitted this year focused on such issues as water and storm safety, fire and electrical safety, and the dangers of texting and driving. Check out the 2017 international winning posters for an idea of what today’s youth is concerned about.

Poster judging is conducted on three levels for each division – the upper level for students in or comparable to grades 9-12, the middle level for students in or comparable to grades 6-8, and the lower level for those in or comparable to grades 3-5. One first place, two second place, and three third place posters are selected as winners on each level in both divisions. Posters are judged according to originality, artistic ability and clarity of content first at a local level, then at a regional level, and finally at the international level. Winners are awarded ribbons and cash prizes.

The safety poster contest is a great way for UCT local councils to get involved with schools and facilities in their communities and to share with teachers and students information about what our organization is and what we do. The payoff for students is a chance to express creatively their views of the world around them with the prospect of recognition and reward as a plus. It’s definitely a win-win situation.

For more details about the contest or for guidelines for each contest division, visit our safety poster contest web page. You can also contact me at lfisher@uct.org or at 800.848.0123 x1130. I’d love to help you get involved!