Florida Missing Children's Day Foundation
FMCD Contests and Important Links
2024 Poster, Essay, and National Anthem Contest
The National Missing Children’s Day poster contest sponsored by the United States’ Department of Justice’s Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Office, the essay contest sponsored by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), the Florida Department of Education (FDOE), and the Florida Missing Children’s Day Foundation (FMCDF), and the National Anthem Contest sponsored by the FMCDF are to be held in 2024.
The goal of these contests and events is to provide teachers, families and communities with the opportunity to discuss ways for children to stay safe from abduction. Students are invited to watch Florida Missing Children’s Day live on Monday, September 9, 2024, at the Tallahassee Automobile Museum, at 10 a.m. on the Florida Channel or via the web at www.theFloridachannel.org. You may also visit the Florida Missing Children’s Day Foundation website by clicking www.fmcdf.org to find pictures and video links from past Florida Missing Children’s Day ceremonies. The statewide poster contest winner's poster will be on display, the statewide essay contest winner will read their essay, and the national anthem contest winner will sing “The Star Spangled-Banner” at the ceremony.
Poster Contest
Please join us in participating in the poster contest for 2024. The state-wide poster contest winner will have their poster made into a billboard that will be shown around the state. In addition, the state-wide poster winner will receive a prize on Florida Missing Children’s Day. Please click below to download the poster contest flyer and the 41st Annual Poster Contest Packet. We are looking forward to the poster contest submissions.
The Deadline for the Poster Contest is Monday, February 12th, 2024.
Essay Contest
FDLE, the FDOE, and the FMCDF present the 2024 Essay Contest for 5th grade students across the state. The goal of this contest is to promote safety awareness among Florida's children and encourage them to proactively think of ways to keep themselves safe from abduction. The state-wide essay contest winner will be invited to attend Florida Missing Children's Day on Monday, September 9th, receive a prize packet at the Florida Missing Children's Day ceremony that includes $100 dollars.
The Essay Contest information will be released shortly. The Deadline for this contest is Thursday, March 7th, 2024.
2023 Previous Contest Winners
Please join us in congratulating 5th grade student Fabian as Florida's 2023 Poster Contest Winner. His artwork was used in designing the 2023 Florida Missing Children's Day Billboard which is displayed below.
Please join us in congratulating our 5th grade regional Poster winners for 2023!
Pensacola Region Winner: Isabella
Tallahassee Region Winner: Rilyn
Jacksonville Region Winner: Chloe
Tampa Bay Region: Ayden
Ft. Myers Region Winner: Alexis
Orlando Region: Bianca
Miami Region: Adil
Please join us in congratulating our 5th grade state Essay winner for 2023!
Florida Essay Contest Winner: Isabella
You can read her essay by clicking here.
National Anthem Contest
FDLE and the FCDF present the 2024 National Anthem Contest for
Florida Missing Children's Day. All children in 1st thru 8th grade are
invited to participate. Applicants may sing solo or in a group up to
3 individuals. The winner(s) of this contest will be invited to attend
and sing the National Anthem at Florida Missing Children's Day on
Monday, September 9, 2024, at the Tallahassee Automobile
Museum in Tallahassee, Florida. To be considered for the contest,
you must email your application and upload a video singing the first and second verse of the National Anthem. The deadline for this
contest is Wednesday, May 1st, 2024.
Important Note: If you are selected as the state winner, prize is
contingent on singing at Florida Missing Children's Day on Monday,
September 9, 2024. The winner is expected to sing all FOUR
verses of the National Anthem at the beginning of the ceremony.
The state-wide winner will receive a $150 dollar cash prize, signed certificate with the Florida Governor's signature, 1 hotel night stay in Tallahassee on Sunday, September 10th, reimbursement for gas for 1 vehicle, and 2 individual meal reimbursement at the state contract rate. Please note that if a group participates, then the prize, hotel reimbursement and meal reimbursement will be split between winners. Winner families will be expected to pay the difference.
2024 National Anthem Contest Application
SEND APPLICATION, VIDEO OF CHILD SINGING NATIONAL ANTHEM'S FIRST AND SECOND VERSE TO FMCDNATIONALANTHEM@GMAIL.COM. If you have any questions, please call the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Florida Missing Children's Day coordinator at 850-544-8536.
Important Links
The Missing Endangered Person Information Clearinghouse (MEPIC): website
MEPIC is the central repository of information regarding missing endangered persons in Florida. MEPIC assists law enforcement agencies and Florida's citizens in finding missing persons by providing analytical services and engaging the public in the search. MEPIC is responsible for releasing all AMBER Alerts, Missing Child Alerts, Enhanced Missing Child Alerts. and State Silver Alerts in Florida. Sign up for Alerts by clicking here.
National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs): website
NamUs is a national information clearinghouse and resource center for missing, unidentified, and unclaimed person cases across the United States. Resources are provided at no cost to law enforcement, medical examiners, coroners, allied forensic professions and family members of missing persons.
Florida's Sexual Offenders and Predators Search (SOPS) website
SOPS contains public record information on sexual offenders and sexual predators under Florida law because of a conviction for a sex-related crime.
Florida Unidentified Decedents Database (FLUIDDB) website
A central clearinghouse for family, friends, or law enforcement searching for a missing person. FLUIDDB contains information about people who have been found deceased in Florida and whose identities remain unknown.
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) website
The nation's clearinghouse and reporting center for all issues related to the prevention of and recovery from child victimization.