Keep Christ in Christmas

In a society where Christmas has become for many - especially children - a secular holiday. To combat this, the Knights of Columbus has introduced the Keep Christ in Christmas poster contest. This program - similar to the Substance Abuse Awareness Poster Contest - will allow young people to engage their creative talents and imaginations while understanding the true, spiritual meaning of Christmas.

Entries in the Knights of Columbus “Keep Christ in Christmas” Poster contest must include a slogan reflecting the topic and an original visual image.

Eligibility

The Knights of Columbus “Keep Christ in Christmas” Poster Contest is open to all young people between the ages of 5 and 14.

Age Groups

Contest entrants compete in one of three age groups—ages 5 through 7, ages 8 through 10, and 11 through 14. Some schools may have different age brackets for their elementary and middle schools. In these cases it may be appropriate to group students by grade rather than age. Sponsoring councils should use their own judgment in deciding how to group participants. (Each local, district, regional or state competition may have up to 6 winning entries – first, and second place winners in each age group.)

Contest Levels

Council level- This is the first level of the competition. Council officials should order the program kit (#CPC-Kit) by calling 203-752-4016 or visiting kofc.org/forms, promote the contest and contact schools to participate. The winning posters from the council level competition are forwarded to either the district deputy or state council personnel, depending on the circumstances in your area. District level- The district level of the contest occurs ONLY if more than one council in the district participates in the “Keep Christ in Christmas” Poster contest. Check with your district deputy to see if this is the case in your area. The winning posters for this level of the contest are forwarded to state program personnel for either the regional or state competition. Check with your state poster contest chairman or youth director for the forwarding address and deadline for entries.

Regional/State- The regional level of competition usually only takes place in larger jurisdictions. In either case, scheduling, judges and prizes are provided by the state council. Winning posters at the state level should be sent to the Supreme Council Department of Fraternal Services, 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510-3326. Telephone (203)752-4016.

Rules:

• Poster must reflect the theme of Keep Christ in Christmas
• Each poster should be the original work (including concept, layout, slogan and any visual images)
• Poster must be 11x17 inches in size. If pastels, chalk or charcoal are used the poster must be laminated or covered with clear plastic.
• Each poster must be submitted with the Knights of Columbus "Keep Christ in Christmas" Poster contest entry form - make sure your council number is included. The name and age of the entrant should be printed on the reverse side of the poster in case the poster and entry form get seperated.
• All entries become property of the Knights of Columbus Supreme Council. Posters will not be returned.

Judging

Judging teams should be composed of students, Knights, teachers, administrators, council Chaplain, pastor, etc. A 100-point scoring system will be used to determine the winners.

Slogan-30 points: How clearly is the theme presented?

Visuals-30 points: How well do the visuals convey the message?

Overall Impact-40 points: How effective was the poster in capturing your attention and causing you to reflect on the topic at hand?

Timetable

Local councils should be ordering their kits by November 1st to be ready to present the contest in November. Posters should be completed by December 15, and the council judging should take place by December 31.

District: Mid January
Regional: End of January
State: Mid February
International-State councils must submit their entries no later than February 28th, International winners will be announced approximately March 15th.

Tell Us About Your Programs

Help us improve the Service Program activities offered by the Supreme Council office by sending reports on your council’s successful activities and/or any suggestions you may have on improving our programs. Send this information to Fraternal Services, Service Program Suggestions, 1 Columbus Plaza, New Haven, CT 06510-3326 or contact us. Please include “Service Program Suggestions” in the subject line.