Contest Administration
Contest Administration Guide
Section titled “Contest Administration Guide”As a State Chair, you are responsible for promoting DAP contests throughout your state, coordinating state-level judging, and submitting winners to the National DAP. This guide walks you through the complete process.
Current Contest Year
2026-2027 Theme: “A Healthy Me Is Drug Free” Submission Deadline: April 1, 2027
Contest Overview
Section titled “Contest Overview”Three Contests
Section titled “Three Contests”| Contest | Grades | Format | Judging Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poster | K-6 | Visual art on 11x14 poster board | Creativity, theme relevance, visual impact |
| Essay | 7-8 | Written essay (max 250 words) | Content, creativity, grammar, theme relevance |
| Video | Pre-HS & HS | 30-60 second video | Creativity, message clarity, production quality |
National Prizes
Section titled “National Prizes”- $500 Amazon gift card for each national winner
- Poster winner featured on the DAP Coloring Book cover
- Essay winner featured in ENF Annual Report and promotional materials
- Video winners featured on the DAP website
Annual Contest Timeline
Section titled “Annual Contest Timeline”| Timeframe | Activity |
|---|---|
| July | New theme announced at Grand Lodge Convention |
| August-September | Distribute contest information to schools |
| October-February | Active contest promotion period |
| February 15-March 1 | Collect entries from lodges |
| March 1-15 | Conduct state judging |
| March 15-31 | Prepare and submit state winners |
| April 1 | DEADLINE: State winners due to National |
| July | Winners announced at Grand Lodge Convention |
Phase 1: Contest Promotion (August - February)
Section titled “Phase 1: Contest Promotion (August - February)”Equip Your Lodge Chairs
Section titled “Equip Your Lodge Chairs”Provide Lodge Chairs with:
- Current year contest theme and guidelines
- Entry forms for each contest (download here)
- Promotional materials and talking points
- Deadline reminders
Promotional Toolkit for Lodges
Section titled “Promotional Toolkit for Lodges”Share these resources with Lodge Chairs:
Sample School Email:
Dear [Principal/Teacher/Counselor],
The Elks Drug Awareness Program invites your students to participate in our annual contests! This year’s theme is “[Current Theme].”
We offer three contests:
- Poster Contest (Grades K-6) - Create an 11x14 poster
- Essay Contest (Grades 7-8) - Write up to 250 words
- Video Contest (Pre-HS & HS) - Create a 30-60 second video
Winners advance from local, to state, to national competition. National winners receive $500 Amazon gift cards and have their work featured in national publications.
Entry forms are attached. The deadline for submissions to our local Elks lodge is [date].
This is a free program with no cost to students or schools. Would you be interested in promoting these contests to your students?
[Lodge Chair Name] [Contact Information]
Track Promotion Efforts
Section titled “Track Promotion Efforts”Create a simple tracking sheet:
| Lodge | Contact Date | Schools Contacted | Entries Expected | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lodge #123 | 10/15 | 5 | Yes | Following up in January |
Monthly Reminders
Section titled “Monthly Reminders”Send monthly contest reminders to District and Lodge Chairs:
- October: “Contest promotion is underway - have you contacted local schools?”
- November: “Keep promoting! Teachers make great champions for the contests.”
- January: “Two months until entries are due - time to follow up with schools.”
- February: “Final push! Entries due to lodges by [date].”
Phase 2: Entry Collection (February 15 - March 1)
Section titled “Phase 2: Entry Collection (February 15 - March 1)”Set Your State Deadline
Section titled “Set Your State Deadline”Set a deadline for lodges to submit entries to you that gives you time for judging. Recommended: March 1 (one month before national deadline).
Communicate Collection Process
Section titled “Communicate Collection Process”Tell your Lodge and District Chairs:
- What to submit: Winning entries from their lodge (or all entries for state judging)
- How to submit: Mail, email, or in-person at a state gathering
- Deadline: Your state deadline (e.g., March 1)
- Required information: Entry form, student name, grade, school, lodge number
Collection Checklist
Section titled “Collection Checklist”For each entry received, verify:
- Entry form is complete with all required information
- Student’s grade is appropriate for the contest
- Parental consent form is included
- Entry meets format requirements (size, length, etc.)
- Lodge information is included for recognition
Phase 3: State Judging (March 1-15)
Section titled “Phase 3: State Judging (March 1-15)”Assemble a Judging Committee
Section titled “Assemble a Judging Committee”Recruit 3-5 judges. Good candidates include:
- Art teachers (for posters)
- English teachers (for essays)
- Media professionals (for videos)
- Community leaders
- Elks members with relevant expertise
Avoid Conflicts
Judges should not have a personal connection to any of the entrants. If a judge recognizes an entry, they should recuse themselves from judging that entry.
Judging Criteria
Section titled “Judging Criteria”Poster Contest:
| Criterion | Weight | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Creativity | 30% | Original, imaginative approach |
| Theme Relevance | 30% | Clearly addresses contest theme |
| Visual Impact | 25% | Eye-catching, effective design |
| Execution | 15% | Neatness, effort, completion |
Essay Contest:
| Criterion | Weight | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Content | 35% | Message clarity, substance |
| Theme Relevance | 25% | Addresses contest theme |
| Creativity | 25% | Original perspective or approach |
| Grammar/Mechanics | 15% | Spelling, grammar, structure |
Video Contest:
| Criterion | Weight | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Message Clarity | 30% | Clear, understandable message |
| Creativity | 30% | Original, engaging approach |
| Theme Relevance | 20% | Addresses contest theme |
| Production Quality | 20% | Audio, video, editing quality |
Judging Process
Section titled “Judging Process”- Number all entries - Remove identifying information if possible for blind judging
- Distribute score sheets - One per judge per entry
- Independent scoring - Judges score without discussing until complete
- Tabulate scores - Average scores or use ranking method
- Select winners - One winner per contest category
- Document results - Keep score sheets for records
Score Sheet Template
Section titled “Score Sheet Template”Entry #: _______ Contest: Poster / Essay / Video
Judge Name: ____________________
Criteria Score (1-10)-----------------------------------------Creativity _______Theme Relevance _______[Other criteria] _______
Total Score: _______
Comments (optional):Phase 4: National Submission (March 15-31)
Section titled “Phase 4: National Submission (March 15-31)”What to Submit
Section titled “What to Submit”For each contest, submit your one state winner:
Poster Contest:
- Original poster (or high-quality scan/photo if shipping is difficult)
- Completed entry form with all student information
- Parental consent form
Essay Contest:
- Original essay or typed copy
- Completed entry form with all student information
- Parental consent form
Video Contest:
- Video file (MP4 preferred) via file sharing link or USB drive
- Completed entry form with all student information
- Parental consent forms for all participants
Submission Requirements
Section titled “Submission Requirements”| Item | Required |
|---|---|
| Entry Form | Yes - fully completed |
| Parental Consent | Yes - signed by parent/guardian |
| Student Name & Grade | Yes - verified as eligible |
| School Name | Yes |
| Lodge Number | Yes |
| State | Yes |
How to Submit
Section titled “How to Submit”Submit all state winners to the National DAP:
Email:
- Scanned entry forms and consent forms
- Essay as attachment or in body of email
- Video as file sharing link (Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.)
Mail (for original posters): Send to the address provided in contest guidelines, with return address and “DAP CONTEST ENTRY” clearly marked.
April 1 Deadline
All state winners must be received by the National DAP by April 1. Late submissions cannot be accepted. Submit early to avoid last-minute issues.
Submission Checklist
Section titled “Submission Checklist”Before April 1, verify you have submitted:
- Poster winner with entry form and consent
- Essay winner with entry form and consent
- Video winner(s) with entry forms and consents
- Contact information for all winning students (for prize delivery)
- Your contact information as State Chair
Phase 5: Post-Contest (April - July)
Section titled “Phase 5: Post-Contest (April - July)”Recognize Participants
Section titled “Recognize Participants”- State winners: Send congratulations and let them know they’ve been submitted to national
- Lodge Chairs: Thank all lodges that submitted entries
- Schools: Send thank-you notes to teachers who promoted the contest
- All participants: Consider state-level certificates of participation
Document and Report
Section titled “Document and Report”- Log contest participation in CLMS
- Record number of entries received by lodge
- Note which schools participated for future outreach
- Share participation statistics with your District Chairs
Prepare for Next Year
Section titled “Prepare for Next Year”Note what worked and what didn’t:
- Which lodges had the most entries?
- What promotion strategies were effective?
- Did the timeline work, or do you need to adjust?
- Were there any judging challenges to address?
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Section titled “Troubleshooting Common Issues””We didn’t get any entries from schools.”
Section titled “”We didn’t get any entries from schools.””- Start promotion earlier (August/September)
- Provide Lodge Chairs with specific outreach scripts
- Offer to contact schools directly as State Chair
- Consider partnering with state education associations
”The entries we received don’t meet requirements.”
Section titled “”The entries we received don’t meet requirements.””- Communicate requirements clearly upfront
- Provide checklist to Lodge Chairs for verifying entries
- Allow time to request corrections before state deadline
”Judging was contentious.”
Section titled “”Judging was contentious.””- Use numerical scoring rather than debate
- Establish clear criteria before judging begins
- Have judges work independently, then average scores
- State Chair makes final decision on ties
”We missed the deadline.”
Section titled “”We missed the deadline.””Unfortunately, late entries cannot be accepted at the national level. Use this as motivation to start earlier next year. Consider:
- Setting your state deadline two weeks earlier
- Sending more frequent reminders
- Assigning a contest coordinator to track progress
Resources
Section titled “Resources”| Resource | Location |
|---|---|
| Contest Forms | /materials-and-resources/forms/#contest-forms |
| Contest Rules & Guidelines | /contests/ |
| Past Winners | /contests/winners/ |
| Poster Guidelines | /contests/poster/ |
| Essay Guidelines | /contests/essay/ |
| Video Guidelines | /contests/video/ |
Contests Build Engagement
A strong contest program creates multiple touchpoints with schools throughout the year. Even students who don’t win benefit from thinking about drug prevention, and schools appreciate the free educational opportunity.