For this year's Earth Science Week (October 14-20, 2018), the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is sponsoring four contests honoring this year’s theme, “Earth as Inspiration.” This year’s competitions will feature the traditional video, photography, visual arts, and essay contests.

Kenneth L. Huff, a sixth grade teacher at Mill Middle School in Williamsville, New York, has been named the 2018 recipient of the Edward C. Roy, Jr. Award for Excellence in K-8 Earth Science Teaching. Huff earned his Master's degree in Education from the State University of New York College at Buffalo and is National Board Certified in Early Adolescence/Science. In addition to teaching, Huff was the co-chair of the Teacher Advisory Council for the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.

Sally Jewell, the conservationist, petroleum engineer, former President and CEO of Recreational Equipment, Incorporated (REI), and former U.S. Secretary of the Interior, will serve as a major national spokesperson for the American Geosciences Institute (AGI). The Institute has named Jewell as its Earth Science Education Ambassador; Jewell will highlight the need for strong Earth science instruction throughout K-12 education and will be the principal spokesperson for Earth Science Week 2018 (October 14-20), which will focus on the theme "Earth as Inspiration."

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is pleased to welcome educators, students, and the general public to explore connections between the geosciences and the arts during The Late Shift: STEAM-Powered December. The event, which will kick off the Earth Science Week 2018 theme of "Earth as Inspiration," will include hands-on activities, demonstrations linking art and geoscience, and opportunities to craft "take home" artworks based in Earth science. In addition, educational materials such as Earth Science Week Toolkits will be available for free for teachers, students, homeschoolers, and others to take away.

The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) is pleased to announce that the theme of Earth Science Week 2018 will be "Earth as Inspiration." The coming year's event will be October 14-20, 2018, andemphasize artistic expression as a unique, powerful opportunity for geoscience education and understanding in the 21st century.

Congratulations to the winners, finalists, and hundreds of students and others who entered. Each first-place winner receives $300 and a copy of The Geoscience Handbook, published by the American Geosciences Institute. Entries submitted by winners and finalists are posted online at http://www.earthsciweek.org/contests/2017.