Wilton Wildlife Accepting Entries for Annual Earth Day Essay Contest

Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park is seeking submissions for their 11th Annual Earth Day Essay Contest. Earth Day, celebrated on April 22 since 1970, brings environmental awareness to the forefront. Earth Day promotes increased environmental consciousness, community participation, and protection of the planet worldwide. 

The mission of Wilton Wildlife includes environmental education as a priority, and for more than a decade, the Essay Contest has given school-aged children in the community a chance to express their views, do research, and engage in ecological topics related to the climate crisis.

The theme for 2026 is “We Are One”. Students are invited to write their essays on the Earth being the home that all living things share, and how people can come together to share the valuable resources the Earth provides. Students can write about what they can do to help their communities protect the planet in any capacity. We may be different, living in different countries and cultures, but we are all here together, along with all living things that depend on clean soil, water, and air. We are all together, living on our one planet, Earth.

A panel of judges from Wilton Wildlife will review the essays and select winners in lower elementary, upper elementary, middle school, and high school levels to receive a cash prize and recognition. Runner-up and judges’ choice categories will also be chosen. High school entries must be no longer than 650 words; middle school entries must be no longer than 500 words; and elementary school entries must be at least 10 sentences. Accompanying illustrations are also encouraged. The contest winner from each of the four grade categories will receive a $50 cash prize!

The deadline for entries is on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, 2026. Winners will be announced in May, and prizes will be awarded at the Annual Wildlife Festival on Sunday, May 31. Submissions may be mailed to Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park at 80 Scout Road, Wilton, NY 12831, or emailed to info@wiltonpreserve.org by the deadline. Please include the student’s name, the name of the school, the student’s grade, and their teacher’s name. In addition, please include an email and a phone number, with each student’s entry.

The Annual Earth Day Essay Contest was initiated in 2016 by Wilton Wildlife with the support of two local educators, Betty McCanty and Jane Adams Wait, who helped serve as judges and who funded the prizes for the first years of the contest.

For more information, please visit the Wilton Wildlife website at wiltonpreserve.org, email info@wiltonpreserve.org, or call (518) 450-0321. Wilton Wildlife Preserve & Park’s mission is to provide environmental education and opportunities for outdoor recreation while supporting conservation of ecological systems and natural settings.