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Colorado radon poster and video contest

We need your creativity to protect Coloradans!

Radon is a dangerous gas that is naturally occurring in Colorado soils. Outdoors, it poses no danger, but when it sneaks indoors through cracks in a building’s foundation, it puts people’s lives at risk. You can’t see it, taste it, or smell it, so many don’t know it is there until it’s too late. 

With a simple home test, families can learn their risk and take steps to keep themselves safe. Every year, we invite Colorado’s bright and talented students to help us get the word out by inspiring us with awesome poster designs that promote radon awareness.

Be a hero! Enter our annual poster contest today!

Learn more | Submission requirements | Submission instructions |Tips | Teacher resources

Contest details 

What is the goal of the contest?

  • Inform Coloradans about the danger of radon in their homes to encourage more people to test and mitigate their homes if radon levels are elevated.

Who can enter the contest?

  • All children ages 9-14 can enter the poster contest. 
  • All children ages 14-18 can enter the video contest. 

How many posters or videos can a student submit?

  • Only one entry is allowed per student.

What is the prize?

The top three entries in the poster and video contest will receive prizes.

  • 1st place: $300 gift card. The winning poster and video will also be entered in the National Radon Poster and Video Contest and prominently displayed on this website and social media channels for all of 2025.
  • 2nd place: $200 gift card.
  • 3rd place: $100 gift card.
  • Teachers or sponsors of the three winners will each receive a $100 gift card as well.

When are submissions due?

  • Entries are due by November 25, 2024

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Submission requirements

To improve your chances of winning, please read and follow these instructions:

Poster or video topics

Your poster or video must be about one of the following topics:

  • What is radon?
  • Where does radon come from?
  • How does radon get into our homes?
  • Radon can cause lung cancer.
  • Test your home for radon.
  • Getting rid of radon in your home.

There is a lot of helpful information about radon on our website. Be sure to check it all out!

Poster artwork

  • All submission sizes are accepted (we prefer 8.5” x 11” or 11” x 17”).
  • Posters must be on white paper.
  • All styles are accepted, including art created with crayons, markers, paint (watercolor, tempera, acrylic), collage, pencil, photographs, computer graphics, etc.
  • If you want to include a famous character, company logo, or other very recognizable person, place, or thing, ask your teacher first. It may be under copyright or trademark and would prevent your poster from winning.
  • Letters and words should be large so people can read your message at any size.
  • Do not put your name on the front of your poster.
  • All pencil markings should be erased.

Video creation

  • Videos should be 30 seconds or less.
  • Videos must be uploaded to YouTube on the student’s personal account.
  • Videos must contain radon hotline 1-800-846-3986 and website www.coloradoradon.info
  • No credits or acknowledgments sections.
  • If you want to include a famous character, company logo, or other very recognizable person, place, or thing, ask your teacher first. It may be under copyright or trademark and would prevent your poster from winning.

Judging

Posters and videos will be judged on their visual communication, their accuracy, their reproducibility, and their originality. In other words:

  1. Follow these submission requirements.
  2. Be sure to research and understand the topic you pick.
  3. Have fun and be creative!

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Submission instructions

  1. Download the submission form below and fill it out (don’t forget to include the topics and title of your submission!).
  2. Submit your creation and the submission form with one of the methods below.

Poster contest form        Video contest form

Posters

  • Online: Scan and email the poster and artwork submission form to: margaret.horton@state.co.us
  • Mail: Mail the poster and artwork submission form to:

        CDPHE HMWMD-B2
        Attn: Margaret Horton
        4300 Cherry Creek Dr. S.
        Denver, CO 80246

Videos

Don’t forget that all posters must be received by November 25, 2024!

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Tips

Tips for a good poster

  • A good poster will make people stop, read, and remember.
  • Read the rules carefully and follow the directions.
  • Do some research about the topic.
  • Be sure the information that you put on the poster is correct.
  • Think of your poster as a billboard advertisement on this topic.
  • Think and be creative. Come up with a catchy idea or ideas.
  • Start out by drawing or sketching your idea or ideas onto regular paper.
  • Ask adults to critique your ideas and tell you what they think.
  • Use a pencil first and do ALL the sketching/drawing, but pencil markings must be erased for the final poster so draw lightly.
  • Use a ruler to lightly draw lines on your paper for the title or theme or slogan (remember to erase pencil marks).
  • Be neat. Try not to smudge the pencil or markers.
  • Be clean. Take breaks and go wash your hands often.
  • Lettering should be 1 to 2 inches tall so it is easy to read from a distance.
  • You can use stencils to help you do neat lettering.
  • Green, red, blue, or black letters look best on white paper.
  • Do not write long sentences, but use short phrases.
  • Be sure that all your words are spelled correctly.
  • Do not run your letters and words all together. Leave space between each word.
  • Do not use different colors for each word or letter. This is hard to read.
  • Do not put lots of information on the paper. This is too cluttered.
  • Draw a picture or pictures that help to teach your idea or message.
  • Do not draw really small or put too many drawings on your paper.
  • When you are happy with your drawing, you are ready to start coloring.
  • Use color.
  • Outline your coloring with fine tipped markers.

Tips for a good video

  • Keep your video focused on one main topic. Too many ideas can complicate your message.
  • Use facts and figures to make a compelling case. 
  • Think about your target audience — who is your video for?
  • Make it interesting! Find a way to grab your audience’s attention. It might be with visual effects, clever writing, or an emotional appeal.  
  • Create an outline and write a script. Keep your statements simple and to the point. 
  • Storyboard your script.
  • Film your video and edit it for good production quality.

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Teacher resources

Why should my class participate?

In addition to the $100 gift card for the teachers associated with each winning entry, the Radon Poster and Video Contest is a great way to bring Science, Technology, Engineering, The Arts, and Math (STEAM) activities into the classroom! Radon is a real-world topic to help students understand radiation. This topic is a part of the 2020 Colorado Education Standards for high school physical science. 

Learn more about radon

CDPHE has a complete curriculum about radiation, radioactivity, and radon (the three R's), aimed at grades 5-12. Teachers must attend training to utilize the 3R's classroom training kits, however, we can send the radon-specific lesson plan to you at any time. Contact margaret.horton@state.co.us for more information. 
 

There are also many web resources about radon:
Colorado Radon Info
EPA's radon information
Radon Leaders
S.O.S. Radon