The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has announced the return of its annual Take Care of Texas Video Contest, inviting students from across the state to participate. The competition is open to public, private, and home-schooled students in grades six through twelve.
The contest aims to encourage students to learn about environmental protection and share their knowledge through a short video submission. According to TCEQ, “Videos must be 30 seconds long and portray positive ways Texans can help keep our air and water clean, conserve water and energy, or reduce waste. Videos must include the slogan ‘Take Care of Texas. It’s the only one we’ve got.’ Complete requirements for entries are available on the video-contest requirements webpage.”
Prizes will be awarded in two categories: high school and middle school. Three high school students will receive scholarships ranging from $500 to $2,500, while three middle school students will receive gift cards for camera gear valued between $400 and $800. These prizes are provided by Waste Management of Texas, Inc.
Entries are due by December 5, 2025. Public voting for favorite videos will take place from January 14 to January 24, 2026. After this phase, a panel made up of TCEQ staff and representatives from Waste Management of Texas, Inc. will select the winners. Winners will be announced by March 2, 2026. First place winners will also be invited to attend the annual Texas Environmental Excellence Awards banquet scheduled for June 2026.
Previous winning videos can be viewed at TakeCareofTexas.org.
TCEQ describes Take Care of Texas as “a statewide campaign from TCEQ that encourages all Texans to help keep our air and water clean, conserve water and energy, and reduce waste.”
