2026 Florida Missing Children's Day (FMCD)
STUDENT CONTESTS
POSTER, ESSAY, & NATIONAL ANTHEM CONTESTS
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, and the Florida Missing Children’s Day Foundation, and the National Anthem Contest sponsored by the Florida Missing Children’s Day Foundation are to be held in 2026.
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 the Florida Missing Children’s Day ceremony on the Florida Channel or via the web at www.theFloridaChannel.org. This event will occur on Monday, September 14, 2026, at 10 a.m. at the Tallahassee Automobile Museum, in Tallahassee, Florida in which the poster selected as the statewide winner will be on display, the statewide essay contest will read their essay, and the National Anthem contest winner(s) will sing “The Star Spangled-Banner” at the ceremony.
Questions should be directed to FDLE’s Florida Missing Children's Day coordinator by calling 850-410-7016 or emailing FMCD@fdle.state.fl.us.
2025 Florida Missing Children's Day
STUDENT CONTESTS
POSTER, ESSAY, & NATIONAL ANTHEM CONTESTS
ESSAY CONTEST
Deadline: Wednesday, March 18, 2026
An essay contest is held each year for 5th grade students across the state of Florida. Florida’s statewide winner is invited to Florida Missing Children’s Day to read their essay during the ceremony and are provided with an award for their exceptional essay.
We ask that schools provide ONLY ONE 5th grade student entry per class or school. One essay will be selected from each of FDLE's seven regions as regional winners. The Florida Department of Education will select the statewide winner from the regional winners.
The 2026 essay contest theme is “This is How I Stay Safe All Day” and should encourage students to research personal safety and think about what they can to do minimize risk of abduction and predation in their daily lives.
Essay Contest Information and Application
POSTER CONTEST
Deadline: Friday, March 20, 2026
The National Missing Children’s Day poster contest organized by the United States’ Department of Justice’s Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Office is held yearly for 5th grade students. The Florida state winner is invited to Florida Missing Children's Day (FMCD) and provided an award for their exceptional drawing. Florida uses their image to design the year's state billboard recognizing missing children in Florida which is displayed around the state.
Poster Contest Information and Application
NATIONAL ANTHEM CONTEST
Deadline: Friday, May 1, 2026
A National Anthem contest is held each year for students in grades first to eighth (1st - 8th). The Florida statewide winner is invited to attend FMCD to open the ceremony by singing the National Anthem, “The Star Spangled-Banner.”
Submissions for the National Anthem contest must be emailed to FMCDNationalAnthem@gmail.com. Please refer to the flyer (linked below) for requirements for submission.
National Anthem Contest Information and Application
National Anthem Contest Information and Application (Spanish)
2025 PREVIOUS CONTEST WINNERS
2025 Poster Contest Winner
Please join us in congratulating Cali as the 2025 FMCD poster contest winner! Cali's winning poster shows a young boy who has been kidnapped, looking out at the outside world. The 2025 statewide billboard’s design was based on Cali's artwork (displayed below). The poster contest is open to Florida 5th graders.
2025 State Essay Contest Winner
Please join us in congratulating Jack as the 2025 FMCD Statewide Essay Contest winner! His essay explains several tips for children to stay safe and avoid abduction, and can be read here.
Regional Winners:
Fort Myers Regional Winner: Boris
Jacksonville Regional Winner: Laila
Miami Regional Winner: Genesis
Orlando Regional Winner: Salma
Pensacola Regional Winner: Isla
Tampa Bay Regional Winner: Sai
Tallahassee Regional Winner: Jack
2024 National Anthem Contest Winner
Congratulations to the 2025 National Anthem Contest winner, Camila! Camila performed her rendition of the National Anthem during this year’s ceremony. The National Anthem contest is open to elementary and middle schoolers, and the winner will perform at next year’s Florida Missing Children’s Day ceremony on September 14, 2026.
