Academic Display Contest – Any Subject - Guidelines

• Displays should be mounted on a tri-fold display board, similar presentation board, or smaller presentation board. 
• Maximum two displays per student.  If yours is science-related, it will be judged as a science contest submission and does not count toward the 2 display limit.
• Judges will consider four divisions: Preschool to 1st grade, 2nd - 5th grades, 6th - 8th grades, and 9th -12th grades.
• Academic Displays must have been completed during the 2024-2025 school year (August 2024 to present).
• Your name and grade should be on the BACK of your display (where the judges cannot see it).
• You must turn in a participation form - due no later than April 10th, along with the $3 entry fee. 
• Academic Displays must be submitted to Tampa Covenant Church, Fellowship Hall, on Thursday May 8th between 9:15am and 2 pm or on Friday May 9th between 10am and noon.  Entries will not be accepted after noon on Friday, May 9th. 

Art Competition Guidelines

• Each artist may enter one piece in each of the two categories:  2-dimensional art (drawing/painting) and 3-dimensional art.
• Judges will consider four divisions in each category:  Preschool to 1st grade, 2nd - 5th grades, 6th - 8th grades, and 9th -12th grades.
• Each piece must be labeled (on the back, where judges cannot see it) with the artist’s name, grade, and the media with which the art was created.  
• Art submitted must be original.
• Art must have been completed during the 2024-2025 school year (August 2024 to present).
• Drawings and paintings may not exceed 2 feet square. 
• 3-dimensional art may not exceed 3 cubic feet.
• If you are planning to display a piece of art, you MUST turn in a participation form due NO LATER THAN April 10th, along with the $3 entry fee.    Late submissions cannot be accepted.
• Art must be submitted to Tampa Covenant Church, Fellowship Hall, on Thursday May 8th between 9:15am and 2 pm or on Friday May 9th between 10am and noon.  Entries will not be accepted after noon on Friday, May 9th. 

Baking Competition Guidelines

• Each student may enter one baked item in the competition.
• Each entry must be a whole cake/pie/large item or at least 6 cookies/bars/cupcakes/small items.
• Judges will consider four divisions:  Preschool to 1st grade, 2nd - 5th grades, 6th - 8th grades, and 9th -12th grades.
• Judges will consider taste and presentation when judging.
• Students can use a found recipe, but not a boxed/bagged mix (even if the boxed/bagged mix has been altered).
• Turn in a copy of the recipe used, with the student's name and grade level on the back of the recipe, when you bring the baked item for judging.
• Displays and serving plates must be picked up from the Fellowship Hall at the end of the EXPO.  Items left behind cannot be stored and will be donated.  Make sure you take your things with you when you leave.
• You MUST turn in a participation form, due NO LATER THAN April 10th, along with the $3 entry fee.    Late submissions cannot be accepted.
• Baked items must be submitted to the Fellowship Hall, between 10am and 4pm on the day of the EXPO, May 9th.  Baked items arriving after 4pm on Friday, May 9th will not be judged.

Photography Competition Guidelines

• Each photographer may enter one photograph.
• Judges will consider four divisions:  Preschool to 1st grade, 2nd - 5th grades, 6th - 8th grades, and 9th -12th grades.
• The photograph must be labeled (on the back, where judges cannot see it) with the photographer's name, grade, and the media with which the art was created.  
• Photographs must be 8x10 or panoramic and in a standing frame.
• Art must have been completed during the 2024-2025 school year (August 2024 to present).
• If you are planning to enter a photograph, you MUST turn in a participation form due NO LATER THAN April 10th, along with the $3 entry fee.    Late submissions cannot be accepted.
• Photography must be submitted to Tampa Covenant Church, Fellowship Hall, on Thursday May 8th between 9:15am and 2 pm or on Friday May 9th between 10am and noon.  Entries will not be accepted after noon on Friday, May 9th. 

Poetry Contest Guidelines

• Judges will consider four divisions:  Preschool to 1st grade, 2nd - 5th grades, 6th - 8th grades, and 9th -12th grades.
• Each poet may enter one poem for consideration.
• All poetry forms are eligible.
• Poetry must have been completed during the 2024-2025 school year (August 2024 to present).
• Poetry must fit on one side of an 8 ½ x 11 sheet of paper.
• Font-size must be 12 or larger.
• You MUST turn in a participation form NO LATER THAN April 10th, along with the $3 entry fee. 
• Poetry must be submitted to Tampa Covenant Church, Fellowship Hall, on Thursday May 8th between 9:15am and 2 pm or on Friday May 9th between 10am and noon.  Entries will not be accepted after noon on Friday, May 9th. 

Science Project Contest Submission Guidelines

• Displays should be mounted on a standard tri-fold display board, similar presentation board, or smaller presentation board. 
• One science-related display per student.
• Judges will consider four divisions:  Preschool to 1st grade, 2nd - 5th grades, 6th - 8th grades, and 9th -12th grades.
• Your name and grade should be on the BACK of your display (where the judges cannot see it).
• Science projects must have been completed during the 2024-2025 school year (August 2024 to present).
• If you are planning to display a science project, you MUST turn in a participation form due NO LATER THAN April 10th, along with the $3 entry fee. 
• Display should be brought to Tampa Covenant Church, Fellowship Hall, on Thursday May 8th between 9:15am and 2 pm or on Friday May 9th between 10am and noon.  Entries will not be accepted after noon on Friday, May 9th. 

Short Story Contest Guidelines

• Judges will consider four divisions:  Preschool to 1st grade, 2nd - 5th grades, 6th - 8th grades, and 9th -12th grades.
• For the Preschool - 1st grade and 2nd - 5th grade submissions, judges will consider words and art together on the page (illustrated stories).  The story will be judged more heavily than the illustrations.  Illustrations will not be considered for judging (but can be submitted) for 6th - 8th graders and 9th - 12th graders.
• Each writer may enter one story for consideration.
• Short Stories must have been completed during the 2024-2025 school year (August 2024 to present).
• You MUST turn in a participation form due NO LATER THAN April 10th.
• Please submit $3 entry fee along with your participation form.
• For Preschool - 1st grade and 2nd - 5th grade submissions, stories should be no more than 10 pages (8.5 x11 or smaller) in length including illustrations, font size 12 or larger.
• For 6th - 8th grade and 9th-12th grade submissions, short story may be no more than 4 pages in length (not including illustrations), font size 12 or larger, 1-inch or larger margins.  Only 4 pages of the short story may include text.
• Short Stories should be brought to Tampa Covenant Church, Fellowship Hall, on Thursday May 8th between 9:15am and 2 pm or on Friday May 9th between 10am and noon.  Entries will not be accepted after noon on Friday, May 9th. 

Academic Display Contest – Any Subject - Guidelines

• Displays should be mounted on a tri-fold display board, similar presentation board, or smaller presentation board. 
• Maximum two displays per student.  If yours is science-related, it will be judged as a science contest submission and does not count toward the 2 display limit.
• Judges will consider four divisions: Preschool to 1st grade, 2nd - 5th grades, 6th - 8th grades, and 9th -12th grades.
• Academic Displays must have been completed during the 2024-2025 school year (August 2024 to present).
• Your name and grade should be on the BACK of your display (where the judges cannot see it).
• You must turn in a participation form - due no later than April 10th, along with the $3 entry fee. 
• Academic Displays must be submitted to Tampa Covenant Church, Fellowship Hall, on Thursday May 8th between 9:15am and 2 pm or on Friday May 9th between 10am and noon.  Entries will not be accepted after noon on Friday, May 9th. 

Technology Contest - Guidelines

• Each student may submit one program, video, animation, or other created technology to this contest.
• This is the only category where the student may be present during judging (if necessary), and judges will know the creator of the submission.  (Winner will be announced during the EXPO.)
• Technology projects must have been completed during the 2024-2025 school year (August 2024 to present).
• The student will have two minutes to present their technology to the judges.
• Judges will consider three divisions:  2nd - 5th grades, 6th - 8th grades, and 9th -12th grades.  For group presentations, entries will be judged in the division of the oldest participant.
• You must turn in a participation form - due no later than April 10th, along with the $3 entry fee. 
• Video and technology submissions should be submitted in MP4, M4V, MPEG-4 or M-JPEG format.  Send videos no later than April 24th at 5pm.  Please send files to Mary Lynch via email at [email protected].
• Judging times will be announced to those students whose entry requires their presence during judging as the EXPO date approaches.  Judging will take place between 4 and 6pm on May 9th at Tampa Covenant Church.