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Wallops 80th Anniversary
Youth Art Contest

Theme: Wallops – 80 Years of Exploring the Sky and Beyond

NASA Wallops Flight Facility invites students in Pre-K through 12th grade to participate in a Youth Art Contest celebrating 80 years of spaceflight, innovation, and exploration from the Eastern Shore.

From rocket launches to scientific balloons, research aircraft to coastal ecosystems — Wallops has been home to extraordinary missions. This is your chance to imagine the past, present, or future of Wallops through your own original artwork!

Submission Form

The sounding rocket display at NASA Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center. A sign that says "Create" hangs from the ceiling with exhibits below
Photo of the sounding rocket display at NASA Wallops Flight Facility Visitor Center.

Important Dates

  • Submission Deadline: September 30, 2025
  • Winners Announced and Online Gallery Launch: October, 2025

Eligibility

  • Open to all Pre-K – 12 students attending public, private, tribal, homeschool programs, or non-formal education groups (e.g., after-school programs) in the United States and U.S. Territories.
  • U.S. citizens attending schools abroad may enter through their legal state of residence.
  • Students must be U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents to receive prizes.

Rules & Requirements

One entry per student.

Originality

  • Each submission must be the student’s own original, hand-drawn creation.
  • While photographs and published images may be used as references, the final submitted work must not be a direct copy of any existing work.
  • No traced, copied, or AI/digitally generated work is allowed.
  • Students may not reproduce another artist’s visual images or present them as their own.
  • All reference images used must be listed on the registration form.

Accepted Mediums

  • Drawing and Painting: pencil, charcoal, pastels, colored pencils, oil paints, acrylics, water media, mixed media/collage.
  • Techniques may include drawing, painting, paper collage, etc.
  • No photography, digital art, computer-generated, or AI-assisted art will be accepted.

Physical Artwork Specifications

  • Must measure exactly 11″x14″.
  • No borders should be included around the image.
  • No lettering, words, signatures, initials, numbers, or identifiable markings on the front of the artwork. This includes numbers on bands or letters on signs.
  • Inclusion of any such markings will result in disqualification.

Digital Submission Requirements

  • Submit a high-resolution digital image of the original artwork.
  • Minimum resolution: 300 DPI
  • File size: under 5 megabytes.
  • File format: JPEG or PNG

How to Submit

A parent, legal guardian of the student, or teacher may submit a student’s artwork using the form below. Entries must be submitted by 11:59 PM EDT on September 30, 2025.

If a teacher is submitting on behalf of the student, a permission form signed by a parent or legal guardian must be uploaded with submission.

Each submission must include the following information:

  • Artwork Title
  • Artwork Medium (detailed description of materials used; must indicate if AI was used—note that AI use disqualifies the entry).
  • A Brief Description for your Submission (200 Characters or less)
  • Artist’s Full Name and Parent/Guardian’s Full Name and Contact Information.

Judging

NASA Wallops Flight Facility (WFF) subject matter experts will select the top submissions from each grade categories to determine which pieces will be awarded First Place, Second Place, Third Place, and Honorable Mention in each grade category. One winner will also be selected in the Wallops Employee Choice Award and Children of Wallops Employees Award categories.

Artwork will be judged in the following grade categories:

  • Pre-K – 2nd Grade
  • 3rd – 5th Grade
  • 6th – 8th Grade
  • 9th – 12th Grade
  • Honorable Mention
  • Wallops Employee Choice Award
  • Children of Wallops Employees Award

One entry from the First-Place winners will be selected as Grand Prize.

Notification of winners will be made as soon as possible. Subject matter experts from NASA WFF will oversee all judging.

Criteria

Entries will be evaluated based on originality, interpretation of subject matter/theme, creative techniques, composition, and overall art appearance.

Awards

A grand-prize winner will be selected from the First-Place winners. First place, Second place, Third place, and Honorable Mention winners will be selected for each grade category. One winner will also be selected in the Wallops Employee Choice Award and Children of Wallops Employees Award categories. Fulfillment of all prizes is subject to mission and operational activities.

Grand Prize

  • Certificate
  • NASA Exploration Package (posters, pens, stickers, patches, and lapel pins)

First Place

  • Certificate
  • NASA Exploration Package (posters, pens, stickers, patches, and lapel pins)

Second Place

  • Certificate
  • NASA Exploration Package (posters, pens, stickers, patches, and lapel pins)

Third Place

  • Certificate
  • NASA Exploration Package (posters, pens, stickers, patches, and lapel pins)

Honorable Mention

  • Certificate
  • NASA Exploration Package (posters, pens, stickers, patches, and lapel pins)

Wallops Employee Choice Award

  • Certificate
  • NASA Exploration Package (posters, pens, stickers, patches, and lapel pins)

Children of Wallops Employees Category

  • Certificate
  • NASA Exploration Package (posters, pens, stickers, patches, and lapel pins)

Important Notes

Authenticity

Educators and parents/guardians should not approve any student’s work if there is any doubt about its authenticity or originality. Copyright infringement is a serious issue.

By signing the entry form, the student, parent/guardian, and supervising educator certify that the submission is the student’s own original creation and does not infringe upon any third-party rights.

Ownership & Usage

All submitted artwork remains the property of the student. However, by entering, participants grant NASA Wallops permission to use the artwork for promotional, exhibition, and online purposes with proper credit. NASA reserves the right to cancel, suspend, and/or modify the Challenge, or any part of it, for any reason, at the Agency’s sole discretion.

Disqualification

Entries that fail to meet any of the outlined requirements or that include prohibited markings (e.g., signatures, words) will be disqualified.

Submission Terms & Agreement

When submitting artwork, you must agree to the following terms and conditions. They have been listed here for your convenience, but are also available for review when you submit artwork.

I certify that the submission, including text and illustrations, and any ancillary material were made by the Applicant indicated, and were not copied from another work, photograph, illustration or website, nor made by another. I represent that this submission does not infringe any third party intellectual property rights, nor does it contain any material that is defamatory, vulgar, or otherwise inappropriate. I understand that the submission, including text and illustrations, and any ancillary material will become the property of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). I give permission to NASA to use, reproduce, prepare derivative works, publish, distribute copies to the public, perform publicly, and display publicly the submission, including text and illustrations, and any ancillary material, including but not limited to, Applicant’s name, school, grade/level of study, and any photographs and/or videos containing the Applicant’s image and/or voice, for all purposes deemed appropriate by NASA. NASA may distribute the submission, including text and illustrations, and any ancillary material through a variety of media, including but not limited to print, television, websites, or any other means. NASA may also permit a third party to exercise NASA’s rights, including but not limited to the right to display or distribute the submission, including text and illustrations, and any ancillary material, in a manner NASA deems appropriate.

I understand that my submission may be eligible for appearance at NASA Wallops Flight Facility and other locations if selected, but that no further compensation of any kind will be paid by NASA or any of its authorized third parties to use, reproduce, prepare derivative works, publish, distribute, perform publicly and/or display publicly the submission, any ancillary material, or student information, image or voice as provided for in this agreement. I hereby unconditionally release NASA, its employees, NASA’s contractors and their employees, and NASA representatives from any and all claims and demands arising out of the activities authorized under this agreement.

I certify that I am the parent, legal guardian, or teacher of the student named in this submission. As the parent, legal guardian, or teacher of the student, I certify that I am at least 18 years of age and have read, understood, and agree to abide by the Official Rules outlined above.

Wallops 80th Anniversary Youth Art Contest Submission Form

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Open to all Pre-K–12 students attending public, private, tribal, homeschool programs, or non-formal education groups (e.g., after-school programs) in the United States and U.S. Territories. U.S. citizens attending schools abroad may enter through their legal state of residence. Students must be U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident to receive prizes.
Artist's Citizenship(Required)
Artwork Medium(Required)
NOTE: AI use disqualifies the entry
Is the artist a child of a NASA Wallops Flight Facility Employee? (This includes civil servants, contractors, tenants, and partners)(Required)
NOTE: If a teacher or leader is submitting on behalf of a student, a signed permission form must be included.
I certify that I am the parent, legal guardian, or teacher of the student named in this submission. I am at least 18 years of age and have read, understood, and agree to abide by the Official Rules and submission terms and agreements as outlined below.(Required)
Submission Terms & Agreements: When submitting artwork, you must agree to the following terms and conditions. They have been listed here for your convenience, but are also available for review when you submit artwork. I certify that the submission, including text and illustrations, and any ancillary material were made by the Applicant indicated, and were not copied from another work, photograph, illustration or website, nor made by another. I represent that this submission does not infringe any third party intellectual property rights, nor does it contain any material that is defamatory, vulgar, or otherwise inappropriate. I understand that the submission, including text and illustrations, and any ancillary material will become the property of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). I give permission to NASA to use, reproduce, prepare derivative works, publish, distribute copies to the public, perform publicly, and display publicly the submission, including text and illustrations, and any ancillary material, including but not limited to, Applicant’s name, school, grade/level of study, and any photographs and/or videos containing the Applicant’s image and/or voice, for all purposes deemed appropriate by NASA. NASA may distribute the submission, including text and illustrations, and any ancillary material through a variety of media, including but not limited to print, television, websites, or any other means. NASA may also permit a third party to exercise NASA’s rights, including but not limited to the right to display or distribute the submission, including text and illustrations, and any ancillary material, in a manner NASA deems appropriate. I understand that my submission may be eligible for appearance at NASA Wallops Flight Facility and other locations if selected, but that no further compensation of any kind will be paid by NASA or any of its authorized third parties to use, reproduce, prepare derivative works, publish, distribute, perform publicly and/or display publicly the submission, any ancillary material, or student information, image or voice as provided for in this agreement. I hereby unconditionally release NASA, its employees, NASA’s contractors and their employees, and NASA representatives from any and all claims and demands arising out of the activities authorized under this agreement. I certify I am at least 18 years of age and have read the foregoing Official Rules and fully understand and agree to the contents.
Max. file size: 4 GB.
Max. file size: 4 GB.
NOTE: If a teacher is submitting on behalf of a student, a signed permission form must be included.