Billings 5th Graders Can Win Cash In This National Poster Contest

The Montana Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) have announced that submissions for the National Missing Children's Poster Contest are now open.

Get our free mobile app

Money For Art

Fifth graders in Montana can submit their artwork, with the theme "Bringing Our Missing Children Home," to raise awareness about the issue of missing children and to have a chance to win a trip to Washington, D.C.!

One winning poster from Montana will be selected, and the artist will receive a $100 cash prize and will be celebrated by Attorney General Austin Knudsen and Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen.

Meeting Joe Biden?

The winning poster will then be submitted to the national contest, where the national winner, along with his/her parents and teacher, will be awarded a trip to Washington, D.C. to participate in the National Missing Children's Day ceremony on May 24, 2023.

Awareness of a big issue

Attorney General Knudsen stated,

"One missing child in Montana is one too many. That's why the Department of Justice remains committed to bringing missing kids home and putting their predators behind bars."

Superintendent Arntzen added,

"Our children are the future of our great state. Every child we can reunite with family is a blessing for Montana. The partnership between my office, the Montana Department of Justice, and our 5th-grade classrooms helps bring much-needed recognition to Montana's missing children."

Rules of the contest

• The artwork must be original and handcrafted, 8 ½ x 14 inches in size, and include the words "Bringing Our Missing Children Home."
• Posters with digitally produced images, collages, cut-outs, and stamping will not be accepted.
• A written poster contest student application form must also be submitted along with each poster and will be judged on the level of understanding of the subject, clarity, and grammar appropriate for the fifth grade.
• Submission Forms are available here.

When Are Submissions Required?

Posters and student application forms must be received by February 27, 2023, and can be sent to the Montana Department of Justice Missing Persons Clearinghouse at 2225 11th Avenue, PO Box 201406, Helena, MT 59620.