Youth Activities
CGCI Youth Coordinator: Lisa Cosand
sflowerplc@aol.com
We have been helping to support youth gardening groups in California with leadership, knowledge, supplies, awards and scholarships since 1931. | ![]() |
- CGCI Youth
- Join Us
- Sponsored Groups
- Smokey Bear/Woodsey Owl Poster Contest
- Pollinator Poster Contest
- Sculpture Contest
- Junior Essay Contest
- Junior Poetry Contest
- We know what it takes to create great gardens.
- We know what it takes to raise great kids.
- We are building programs that introduce young people to gardening, conservation, protection of wildlife, recognition of plants, trees and shrubs, basic flower arrangements, and a love and appreciation of nature.
- The goal is to help teach youth to be responsible and capable citizens with greater self-expression, dignity, integrity and knowledge of their environment.
In addition to the educational programs offered there are fun things like contests and awards. - Earn recognition, pride and a few dollars for your youth gardeners. Check the tabs or go to the CGCI Awards Program for complete details.
The deadline for all Youth entries, including Pollinator Poster Contest is December 1
EXCEPTION: Smokey Bear/Woodsy Owl Poster contest – DEADLINE January 24
Note: NGC/CGCI Release for Publication and Website form should be filled out and signed by the parent / guardian and kept on file by any Garden Club that takes pictures of children for use in publicity in any media format, including Newspapers, Newsletters, Websites, etc. Release form
DISTRICT | GARDEN CLUB | YOUTH GROUP |
Bay Bridges | El Cerrito | El Cerrito High School Community & Memorial Garden Project |
Buttes | Lake Oroville Area | Ecotots-(K); Junior- (grade 1-5) |
Cascade | Anderson Valley | Monarch Learning Center |
Channel Islands | Conejo Valley | Mariposa School |
Channel Islands | Ventura County | |
Diablo Foothills | Walnut Creek | Muirwood Elementary School, Rio Vista Elementary School |
Orange County | San Clemente | Boys and Girls Club of So. Orange Co Concordia Elementary Lady of Fatima School Las Palmas Elementary Lobo Elementary Marblehead Elementary School Palisades Elementary San Clemente High School Shorecliffs Middle School Truman Benedict Elementary Vista Del Mar K-8 |
Palomar | Bonita Valley | |
Palomar | Poway Valley | Poway Valley Youth Garden Club |
San Fernando Valley | Cherry Blossom | |
San Fernando Valley | Southern California | Mid Valley Family YMCA Preschool |
Santa Clara Valley | Green Thumb of Milpitas | Randall Elementary School Garden |
Valley Lode | Foothill |
POLLINATOR POSTER CONTEST
CGCI Chairman
Lisa Cosand, sflowerplc@aol.com
Mail Posters to
Lisa Cosand, 6152 Chesebro Rd, Agoura Hills, CA 91031.
NEW CGCI CONTEST: The Pollinator poster Contest is now a contest in California.
Winning entries are eligible for Pacific Region Garden Clubs awards.
Poster Rules & Evaluation Form
Deadline: December 1, 2023
Encouraging youth to keep our planet green by Reusing, Recycling, Repurposing.
Open to children in 4th grade through 8th grade
Contest Rules/Evaluation Form
Awards: CGCI: 1st $25 each grade
Deadline: SUBMIT BY DECEMBER 1 To Youth Awards Chairman, Lisa Cosand
Create a sculpture using recyclables
- The width of the sculpture can be no more than 8 1/2³ x 11³
- Height should be proportional to the width
- Entries should include as many photographs as can be printed on the back of the entry form; (2) 4×6 photographs are recommended
- See updated Sculpture Contest Rules at the NGC Website (www.gardenclub.org) under œYouth Contests.
JUNIOR ESSAYS – Award #64:
Essay Contest Rules/Evaluation Form
2023 Theme/Title: The Lives of Plants
Open to youth in grades 1-5: Section A. Grades 1-3 (30-50 words); Section B. Grades 4-5 (100-200 words)
Deadline: SUBMIT BY DECEMBER 1 TO CGCI YOUTH ESSAY/POETRY CHAIRMAN listed on the Evaluation Form
Awards: CGCI: 1st $20, 2nd $15, 3rd $10 in each section
An original essay using one side of an 8 ½ x 11 sheet of paper.
On application form include
- name, age and address of applicant;
- name of counselor; sponsor or sponsoring club; and district.
- Clip the application form to the essay.
YOUTH POETRY – Award #62
Evaluation Form
Deadline: SUBMIT BY DECEMBER 1 TO CGCI YOUTH ESSAY/POETRY CHAIRMAN as listed on Evaluation Form
Eligibility: Special Education and English as a Second Language: Kindergarten through Ninth Grade.
General Education: Kindergarten through Ninth Grade.
2022-2023: Theme: ” I SPY WITH MY LITTLE EYE, SOMETHING GREEN OUTSIDE — CELEBRATING OUR GREEN WORLD”
Awards: CGCI: 1st Place: $20, 2nd Place: $15, 3rd Place: $10
Contest Rules:
- All entries must be typed and titled
- Include name, address, age, grade, and school of participant on the back of entry
- Sponsoring garden club and state garden club name must also be identified
- Sponsoring garden club may be that of a grandparent
- All entries become the property of National Garden Clubs, Inc.
- Poems do not have to rhyme. Poems may be traditional verse, acrostics, blank verse, cinquains, diamond poems, limerick or Haiku
Note: Only regional winners are considered in the judging for national winners. Contest winners will not be allowed to win two consecutive years. All of the winning entries will be compiled into a booklet, which will be made available to the winner