The banner contest is open to students in upper elementary and middle school - grades 4 through 8. Individuals, groups of students, or whole classes are encouraged to make and submit banners. Although adults, like homeroom and art teachers, can help, the banners must be designed and made by students.

Specifications: size, shape & color

Pride Inc. is making a plain, white, polyvinyl banner background available to schools for $10 each. This banner background is ready to decorate. It is 30" wide and 40" long and has rings in all four corners so it can be hung securely. Alternatively, you may make your own banner and decorate it as you wish. For consistency, it should have a white background, be 30" x 40", and have rings or grommets in all four corners.

Any way you want! To make an impact, banners should be simple, bold, and colorful. Materials that work well on the white woven polyvinyl fabric supplied by Pride Inc. include:

• Permanent magic markers
• Acrylic paints that won't crack or peel off
• Sewn on fabrics - like felt
• Hotglued elements - like cloth letters

Remember, your banner will be flown outside. So it should be rugged and sturdy. You should be able to roll it up without cracking. Poster paints aren't good because they will crack and wash off even in a light sprinkle. Magic markers work great.

You need to decorate ONLY ONE SIDE of your banner.

To be eligible for the contest and to be displayed and flown properly, all entries must be received in the Pride Inc. office by 5 PM FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 1998.

Send or deliver your banner to:

BANNERS
c/o Pride of Baltimore Inc, World Trade Center
401 E. Pratt St., Suite 222
Baltimore, MD 21202

Be sure that the banner is clearly identified with a card attached to the back. Include the name of the individual or group who made the banner, the school name & address, and an adult contact with phone number.

A panel of judges assembled by Pride Inc. will evaluate the banners in two categories, 1) elementary, and 2) middle school. The best banner in each category will be flown on Pride II during the Homecoming Celebrations (all other banners will be flown in the Inner Harbor area). In addition, six representatives from the class judged to have made the best banner will be invited to sail into Baltimore Harbor aboard Pride II during the Nov. 27 noon Homecoming. Representatives from the school submitting the 2nd best banner will be invited to ring the "Pride Bell" in the Inner Harbor during Homecoming. Of course, everyone is invited to attend the celebration and will be recognized along with their banners.

Print out, then mail or fax the coupon below to Pride Inc. with $10 for each banner background. Checks, school purchase orders, or credit cards are accepted. If you intend to submit a banner, please let us know so that we can reserve space. Email us at: schools@pride2.org