The contest involves students in grades K-6. Children engage in classroom activities to learn which acts constitute vandalism, how destructive acts hurt each student, and how students can promote responsible citizenship among each other. Each student creates a poster and a descriptive rhyme or slogan about vandalism, and prizes for winning entries are donated by area merchants and service organizations. Three winners are selected for each school, and all participants receive recognition awards. Winning posters are displayed in schools and businesses and are covered by the media. The contest should be conducted during 1 full week of school; success depends on the involvement of students, community groups, and sponsoring organizations. The Portland contest provided a successful means of making young people aware of the vandalism problem. In 1977-78, vandalism cost the Nation's public schools over $600 million. Newspaper articles, letters, and a list of business contributions are appended.