Kaliyah Thorpe of Capitol Heights Elementary School took first place in this year's 5th Grade Arbor Day Poster Contest (2025) with their amazing artwork! The theme for this year's Arbor Day Poster Contest was, "Trees are terrific, and forests are too". One of the many reasons why trees are terrific is due to their ability to bring communities together. On this day, Kaliyah and her fellow classmates who illustrated the importance of trees and forest had the opportunity to work together to expand the Urban Forest in their community. Motivated by this objective, students and staff applied proper tree planting techniques and planted Red Maple and Allegheny Serviceberry trees across the Capitol Heights Elementary School campus.
Truly a TreeMendous inspiration.
The Maryland Forest Service, in partnership with the Maryland Forest Conservancy District Boards, is sponsoring a “Poster Contest” for 5th grade classes throughout the State of Maryland.
The theme for the poster is:
“Trees Are Terrific…and Color Our World!” Statewide Winners will receive a tree planting at your school with:
- 1st - 15 trees and Smokey Bear Prize Pack
- 2nd - 10 trees and Smokey Bear Prize Pack
- 3rd - 5 trees and Smokey Bear Prize Pack
All posters are due to the county’s MD Forest Service Office no later than 12 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1, 2026.
The address for your local office can be found
here listed by county or can be found here:
https://dnr.maryland.gov/forests/Pages/contacts.aspx
Posters will be judged on a county level and the winner will be submitted to the Maryland Urban and Community Forestry Committee (MUCFC) to compete at the statewide level.
Please note that a Release Form must be filled out and attached to the back of every poster entry.
Winners’ teachers will be notified directly late April, 2026. For more details click on the “Poster Contest Rules 2026” below!
POSTER ENTRY DEADLINE: 12:00 p.m. on April 1, 2026
