The following is a press release from the Montana Attorney General’s Office:
HELENA, Mont. – The Montana Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Office of Public Instruction (OPI) announced today that submissions are open for the 42nd Annual National Missing Children’s Poster Contest. Montana fifth graders can submit their art in the theme of “Bringing Our Missing Children Home” to help raise awareness of the issue of missing children and have a chance to win a trip to Washington, D.C.
A winning Montana poster will be selected, and the artist will receive a $100 cash prize and get to celebrate with Attorney General Austin Knudsen and Superintendent of Public Instruction Susie Hedalen. The winning poster will then be submitted to the national contest. The national poster contest winner, along with his/her parents and teacher, will be awarded a trip to Washington, D.C. to participate in the National Missing Children’s Day ceremony on Wednesday, May 21, 2025.
“This contest is a great way to bring awareness to the problem of missing children and educate young Montanans on how they can stay safe. I encourage every fifth grader in Montana to participate,” Attorney General Knudsen said. “At the Montana Department of Justice, we will continue to do our part to find the missing and bring them home.”
“Every missing child is a tragedy that touches all of us,” Superintendent Susie Hedalen said. “This contest highlights the importance of protecting our children while teaching our students a valuable lesson on staying safe. Through our partnership with the Montana Department of Justice, we’re working to bring hope to families and make a difference. I encourage every fifth grader in Montana to take part in this important effort.”
Student artwork must meet the following criteria to be considered and will be judged on originality, creativity, use of color and materials, and reflection of contest theme.
Artwork that is original and handcrafted8 ½ x 14 inches in sizeInclude the words “Bringing Our Missing Children Home”
Posters with digitally produced images, collages, cut-outs, and stamping will not be accepted.
A written poster contest student application form must be submitted along with each poster. The application will be judged on the level of understanding of the subject, clarity, and grammar appropriate for the fifth grade. Application and consent forms are available here.
Montana has participated in the annual national “Bringing Our Missing Children Home” poster contest since 2009.
Since 2003, DOJ has issued 55 AMBER Alerts that have helped locate 77 children, four who were deceased. To see a list of the persons currently missing in Montana and to get more information on Montana’s AMBER Alert and Missing Persons programs, visit https://dojmt.gov/missing-persons/.
Posters and student application forms must be received by February 28, 2025. Send them to:
Montana Department of Justice
Missing Persons Clearinghouse
2225 11th Avenue
PO Box 201406
Helena, MT 59620
