N.C. Forest Service - Turnbull Creek ESF Smokey Bear Poster Contest
The annual Smokey Bear Poster Contest hosted by Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest began in 2023 to promote wildfire prevention in the local area and connect Smokey Bear’s message to the role the North Carolina Forest Service plays as the leading wildfire prevention agency in the state. North Carolina students residing in southeastern counties of the state (Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Cumberland, Duplin, New Hanover, Pender, Robeson and Sampson) are invited to participate. Students will demonstrate their understanding of wildfire prevention and its connection to the North Carolina Forest Service through their original artwork of Smokey Bear and incorporation of elements from the North Carolina Forest Service. Submissions will be accepted from any school-aged students belonging to independent school districts, homeschools, youth programs, scout groups and other informal education or youth organizations.
2025 Poster Contest
Submission Deadline: Friday, Oct. 3
Winners to be announced: Thursday, Oct. 9
K-12 students residing in Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Cumberland, Duplin, New Hanover, Pender, Robeson and Sampson counties
- Competition may include students in grades K-12
- Students must reside in Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Cumberland, Duplin, New Hanover, Pender, Robeson or Sampson counties.
- Posters to be completed by an individual student artist.
- Students must use their creativity and ensure that a drawn image of Smokey Bear is included in their poster in a way of their choosing.
- Smokey Bear posters must include Smokey’s wildfire prevention message: Only You Can Prevent Wildfires!
- Smokey Bear must be presented in his correct colors (he is an official icon protected by law); check the colors on the website www.fs.usda.gov/learn/kids or www.symbols.gov.
- All posters should feature the N.C Forest Service shield. You can check out the N.C. Forest Service website to get more info.
- Posters must have correct spelling. Posters with spelling errors will not be selected.
- Each poster entry should be 11 x 17 inches in size.
- Materials that can be used include crayons, colored pencils, markers, poster paints, watercolor and the like. If you have a question about materials, please reach out to us!
- No 3-dimensional posters or electronically generated images will be accepted.
- All posters may be dropped off, mailed or electronically submitted. Electronic submissions should include high resolution scanned images of the original artwork.
- Mail-in submissions should be mailed before the deadline to ensure they are received by Oct. 3. Drop-off or electronic submissions must be submitted by Oct. 3 at 3 p.m. Late submissions will not be accepted.
- The following information should be written on the back of the poster (do not use dark markers as it may show through):
- The artist’s first and last name, contact phone number and email, grade level, school and county. Electronic submissions should include the information in the body of the email.
| Mail-in Address | Electronic Submission | Drop-off Location |
|---|---|---|
Mailing USPS: Mailing UPS, FedEx, other non-USPS Handler: | email: turnbullcreekesf.ncfs@ncagr.gov | Turnbull Creek Educational State Forest Hours: For questions, call (910) 588-4161. |
There will be one winner selected from each category (elementary K-5, middle 6-8, and high school 9-12). Winners will receive recognition through N.C. Forest Service social media accounts in addition to receiving prize packs with Smokey Bear swag, N.C. Forest Service swag and N.C. State Fair swag including a family pack of tickets.
Past Contest Winners
Elementary School Winner
Mason from Southeastern Academy Charter School
Middle School Winner
Amari from Cape Fear Middle School
High School Winner
Leighann from Lumberton High School
The mission of the N.C. Forest Service is to protect, manage and promote forest resources for the citizens of North Carolina. Each year the agency chooses a theme, and for 2023, the theme was “What can we do for you?” which highlighted how the Forest Service serves the public. Students were tasked with creating a poster to showcase one or more of the services offered by the N.C. Forest Service.
Elementary School Winner
Mason from Emereau: Bladen Charter School
Middle School Winner
Mario from Cape Fear Middle School
High School Winner
Myron from Heide Trask High School
About Smokey Bear
The Smokey Bear Wildfire Prevention campaign started in 1944, making it the longest running public service campaign in U.S. history. Smokey Bear is a nationally and internationally recognized symbol for wildfire prevention. His message, “Only you can prevent wildfires,” encourages people to take responsibility for wildfire prevention while doing everyday activities such as building campfires, grilling food and burning yard waste. To learn more about Smokey Bear, visit https://smokeybear.com/.
This page was last modified on 08/21/2025