William’s Glasses Poster & Poem Contest Guidelines
Welcome to the William’s Glasses Poster & Poem Contest for Invisible Disabilities Week (October 19–25, 2025)!
This contest invites students to use their creativity to shine a light on the strengths, experiences, and inclusion of people with invisible disabilities.
Theme
“I See You: Seeing Strengths You Can’t Always See.”
Optional prompts for inspiration:
A time I felt seen
How to be a great ally
Accommodations help everyone
Masks & Mirrors: what you see vs. what you don’t
Entrants may choose any prompt or combine elements.
Who Can Enter
Students in grades K–12
Community/Open category (college students and adults)
Individual or team entries (up to 3 collaborators)
Open to all schools, homeschools, and learning pods
Categories & Specifications
Each participant may submit one entry total — either a poster or a poem.
Poster (Visual Art)
Size: up to 11″×17″ (preferred) or US letter
Mediums: drawing, painting, collage, mixed media, or digital illustration
Submit digitally as JPG/PNG (max 10 MB). Photos/scans of handmade art are welcome
Must be original; no copyrighted characters/logos
Poem (Written or Spoken Word)
Forms: free verse, rhymed, haiku, spoken-word, etc.
Length:
K–2: up to 60 words
3–5: up to 120 words
6–8: up to 250 words
9–12 & Open: up to 400 words or 2 minutes spoken word
Submit as a PDF file; spoken word may also include MP3/MP4 (up to 2 minutes)
Timeline (2025)
Sept 29: Contest announced
Oct 1: Submissions open (via Google Form)
Oct 15: Final deadline (11:59 PM PST)
Oct 16–18: Judging
Oct 19–25: Finalists exhibited online & shared on social media
Oct 24: Virtual Awards Showcase & Winners announced
Judging & Rubric
Entries will be evaluated by a panel of educators, student leaders, disability advocates, and artists.
Scoring (100 points total):
Relevance to theme (30)
Creativity & originality (25)
Craft & execution (25)
Impact (20)
Prizes & Recognition
Per grade band & category: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Honorable Mentions
1st: $50 e-gift card + merch pack + certificate
2nd: $25 e-gift card + merch + certificate
3rd: $15 e-gift card + certificate
Classroom prize: bundle for highest participation
Winners & finalists featured online
Privacy: For all public announcements (website, social media), entries will be credited using first name + last initial only (e.g., Suzy Q.).
Submission Process
Complete the Google Entry Form
Upload your digital file
Select the prompt(s) that inspired your piece
Confirm parent/guardian consent (if under 18)
Receive a confirmation email
Permissions & Rules
Entries must be original work
AI tools may be used for brainstorming/translation, but the final product must be the entrant’s own
Respect privacy; do not include identifiable personal/medical details without consent
Hate speech or graphic content will be disqualified
Parent/guardian consent required for participants under 18
Accommodations are encouraged and welcomed. Participants may use assistive technology, dictation, scribing, or other supports to create their entry. What matters is the student’s ideas and voice.
Contact
Questions? Email us at info@williamsglasses.org