TCEQ’s Take Care of Texas program kicks off its annual Art Contest

Dust off those colored pencils, crayons, and markers because today is the kickoff to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s Take Care of Texas 2024 Art Contest. 

Now entering its 10th year, this year’s contest theme is all about recycling. Students are asked to illustrate how they, along with their friends and family, recycle and reuse items to reduce waste. The contest is open to public, private, or home-schooled students throughout Texas from kindergarten through fifth grade. Prizes for the winning entries in each category (K-1st, 2nd-3rd, and 4th-5th) include laptops or iPads made possible by the contest sponsor, the Texas Chemical Council.

TCEQ staff will select two finalists in each category for a total of six statewide winning entries. The grand prize winners and runners-up will be selected by TCEQ commissioners and executive staff, as well as representatives from the Texas Chemical Council. Each grand prize winner will receive a laptop, and each runner-up will receive an iPad.

Each student must submit artwork depicting positive ways to care for the environment by recycling by March 1, 2024. Each entry must contain the slogan “Take Care of Texas.”

Entries can be submitted electronically via the Take Care of Texas website. Students, parents, or teachers can scan the physical entry or take a quality photo and upload the file. Digital entries must abide by the contest rules and must be accompanied by a digital entry form. Entries will still be accepted via mail.

Artwork and entry forms can be mailed to the address below. All mailed entries must be postmarked by March 1, 2024.

• Take Care of Texas: Kids Art Contest, MC 118
• Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
• P.O. Box 13087
• Austin, TX 78711-3087

For more information and official rules, visit the Take Care of Texas website or send an email to educate@tceq.texas.gov.

Winners will be announced in early April and celebrated online through the website and social media channels.  The grand prize winners, in each category, will be invited to the annual Texas Environmental Excellence Awards banquet in May of 2024.