Illinois Association
For Pupil Transportation
Poster Contest
Student Guidelines
2026 POSTER THEME
“Safe Rides, Everyday Heroes”
NATIONAL SCHOOL BUS SAFETY WEEK OCTOBER 2026
DID YOU KNOW THERE IS A POSTER CONTEST EVERY YEAR?
1. WHO MAY ENTER? Any student enrolled must be in a public, parochial or private school.
Division 1 - Grades K-2 Division 4 - Special Education (Grades K-12)
Division 2 - Grades 3-5 Division 5 – CAD (Computer Aided Drawing)
Division 3 - Grades 6-8 Division 6 – International Entries
2. DEADLINE? April 17, 2026 is the deadline for STATE competition.
May 15, 2026 is the deadline for NATIONAL competition.
Completed Poster must be 12” X 18” only.
3. HOW TO ENTER? Use a National School Bus Safety Poster Contest or a reasonable facsimile, with information TYPED OR PRINTED clearly and signed by the teacher. Securely glue it on the back of the poster.
Designs may be on 12” X 18” construction paper but should be glued on quality poster illustration board, size 12” X 18”.
Forms can be found to the left this is the form:
4. ORIGINALITY? POSTER THEME MUST BE ORIGINAL AND CORRECT
INSAFETY CONCEPT.
Drawings must be original, correct in safety concept and the exclusive work of the student entering the contest in idea, design, and execution. Instructor should supervise all work created. Poster slogan must harmonize with the theme:
“Safe Rides, Everyday Heroes”
Contestants must illustrate above theme only.
Illustrations should be positive in approach and demonstrate only proper school bus safety behavior.
Illustrations must also accurately portray Illinois law, rules and regulations regarding pupil transportation.
Part of a yellow school bus must be in the poster. Cross arm and stop sign must be in correct position. Stop light colors must be in the correct order.
Bus must be on the correct side of the road, not the middle. Bus must not be in or across the crosswalk. Bus driver must have a seat belt.
5. LETTERING? Only freehand drawn letters may be used in the poster design. Stenciled, pre-printed, manufactured stick-on or press-on letters or tracings may NOT be used. Lettering should be clearly legible, even if used as part of the poster design.
There is no limitation on the use and number of colors. There is no limitation on the type of media -- such as print, crayon, felt pen, etc. -- used on the poster design; however, wood, plastic, glass or metal must not be part of the poster.
Collage materials should not be used. Poster designs may not incorporate any copyrighted characters (i.e., comic and/or television characters), photographs, and magazine or newspaper illustrations.
6. MAIL STATE CONTESTANT ENTRIES TO:
I.A.P.T. Poster Contest
c/o Angela Langley
PO Box 190
Robinson, IL 62454
7. JUDGING? Locally: By administrators, teachers or staff in your schools.
Send only 1 winning poster for each category.
State: Transportation Directors, Secretary of State or those selected
by the I.A.P.T. Board of Directors.
Nationally: Illinois posters selected for final judging will be viewed
by the National Board of Judges comprised of prominent
individuals in the field of transportation safety. The overall
winning poster will be used to promote
National School Bus Safety Week in 2026.
Judging criteria for award - winning posters:
a) Relationship of the poster design to school bus safety practices.
b) Originality of poster and how the idea is expressed in the poster design.
c) Artwork and its’ execution.
d) Visual impact of the poster design.
All state/province entries become the property of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
FOR PUPIL TRANSPORTATION. The right to modify any poster is reserved by the
NSBSW Committee, comprised of members of the NAPT, NSTA, NSC, state directors
and school bus manufacturers and suppliers.
8. PRIZES? STATE: Prizes will be awarded for first, second, and third place in each division as follows:
1st Place $75 check
2nd Place $35 check
3rd Place $25 check
NATIONALLY:
1st Place and Overall Winner $500 check
1st Place Winners of remaining 3 divisions $250 check
2nd Place Winners of each 4 divisions $100 check
3rd Place Winners of each 4 divisions $ 50 check
1st Place Winner – CAD division $50 check
1st Place Winner - International division $50 check
