Poster Contest Criteria & Judging

The poster contest is designed to reaffirm the Tar Wars message learned during the classroom presentation. You are encouraged to organize a poster contest at your school and motivate students to participate in this activity. Consider soliciting prize donations from local merchants and displaying winning posters around the school and throughout the community.

The AAFP Tar Wars national office has set the following criteria for poster submissions. Please be sure to go over these with the students to ensure compliance and avoid disqualification.

• Only fourth- and fifth-grade students who have had the Tar Wars presentation are eligible to submit posters for the contest.
• Posters must incorporate creative and original artwork and ideas. Depictions of cartoon, video game, and movie/television characters; celebrities; movie themes; and past poster designs do not constitute creativity and originality.
• Posters must deliver a clear and positive message about being tobacco-free. Death themes and art displaying negative health consequences, cigarettes, ashtrays, coffins, people smoking, etc. are not considered positive messages and will not be accepted. A small no smoking symbol is acceptable.
• Posters must be no larger than standard poster board size (22" x 28") and no smaller than 8.5" x 11".
• Posters should not be laminated or mounted on mat board. Also, do not staple, glue, or tape entry forms to the backs of posters.
• Ask students to refrain from writing their name or other identifying information on the front of their poster. Poster contest entry numbers should not be marked on the front of posters either.
• Students may use a variety of media, such as watercolor, pen and ink, crayon, chalk, markers, etc. Keep in mind that winning posters may be reproduced or reprinted, so clear artwork and easy to read messages are best.
• Computer clip art, pictures from magazines and other print media, or any other copyrighted brand or product images will not be accepted.
• Students may not work in pairs.
• Failure to comply with the guidelines could result in a disqualification of the poster.

Each school should choose its own team of judges. This team may be comprised of art teachers, parents, older students, school board officials, local artists, PTA/PTO members, community leaders, or local media personalities.

Posters should be judged on their artistry, creativity, originality, and their ability to communicate a clear and positive message to remain tobacco-free. View past state-winning posters.

Your school's winning poster(s) should be sent to the state coordinator by the deadline they have set. Poster contest deadlines vary from state to state, so be sure to contact your coordinator for more state-specific information. Please do not send your poster submission to the AAFP Tar Wars national office.

The official poster contest entry form (PDF file: 1 page / 288 KB. More about PDFs.) and authorized release form (PDF file: 1 page / 170 KB. More about PDFs.) must accompany your poster submission for the state contest. Winning state posters submitted to the AAFP Tar Wars National Poster Contest become property of the AAFP Tar Wars program and will not be returned. Be sure to make color copies of any poster(s) forwarded to the state-level contest.

If your state does not have a coordinator, please contact the AAFP Tar Wars national office at 800-TAR-WARS for instructions on where to send your poster(s).