The Pennsylvania Department of Health recently announced the opening of the 2026 Student Lyme Disease Prevention Art Competition.

Students in grades one through six across the commonwealth are invited to submit a poster or short video around the theme “Protect. Check. Remove” and a winner will be chosen from each category.

Pennsylvania has one of the highest annual counts of Lyme disease cases in the nation, underscoring the importance of tick awareness and prevention across the commonwealth.

The annual contest helps Pennsylvania’s students learn how to avoid Lyme disease by educating them about ticks, including where they live, how to prevent bites, and how to remove ticks that do bite.

“Playing outside is an important part of a healthy childhood, but it’s important to know how to protect yourself from ticks,” Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen said. “Teaching children and families about how to prevent tickborne diseases, how to remove ticks that do bite, and the early signs and symptoms of tickborne diseases are vital to keeping Pennsylvanians healthy.”

Officials from the Departments of Health, Education, Environmental Protection and Conservation and Natural Resources encourage students to participate in the contest and help raise awareness about how Pennsylvanians can protect themselves from Lyme disease.   

Finalists will be notified by email and will be invited to an award ceremony at the State Capitol in May. 

The deadline for submissions is 11:59 p.m. March 13.

More information can be found on the Department of Health’s website.    

For more information on preventing Lyme disease, visit DOH’s website.