River of Words (ROW) is a free annual poetry and art competition run by the Center for Environmental Literacy at Saint Mary's College of California. Students ages 5–19 submit original poems or artwork inspired by nature, the environment, and their local watershed.
Published 2026 categories:
- Poetry: Maximum 32 lines (or 3 minutes for signed ASL); submitted online; English and Spanish accepted
- Art: Any medium (paint, pencil, ink, photography, collage, computer art, etc.); must be physically mailed to Saint Mary's College
Published 2026 age divisions (4 categories): K–2nd grade, 3rd–5th grade, 6th–8th grade, 9th–12th grade
Published 2026 awards: Grand Prize, Runner-Up, and Second Runner-Up in each age category for both poetry and art; approximately 50 finalists per category. Specialty prizes include International, Shasta Bioregion, One Square Block, and others.
Under the published 2026 rules, students could submit up to five poetry and five art entries; AI-generated work was ineligible. Entrants had to be enrolled in school, and submissions for students under 18 had to be made by a parent, guardian, educator or facilitator. Teacher submissions required the current parent/guardian permission form.
The verified 2026 contest opened October 15, 2025 and had a January 31, 2026 cutoff at 11:59 p.m. PST. Its winners are now announced. Georgia and Arizona residents used state-specific routes, with entries automatically included in the international contest. No 2027 opening, cutoff or entry form is confirmed. Artwork required physical mailing with printed Jotform confirmation, including a print of digital artwork.
Checked November 4, 2026 against the official contest and dated rules and FAQ. Both retain the 2026 window; the free-entry statement is explicit, while future-cycle dates and detailed rules remain unannounced.