Alien Ranking Card Student Design Contest

Updated by Gayle McKee

Thank you for participating in the Progress Learning Alien Ranking Card Student Design Contest!

This page serves as the official source of information for all contest rules and eligibility, submission instructions, timeline, prizes, forms and FAQs.

Please review all sections carefully before submitting student entries.

Contest Overview

Students in grades K–8 are invited to design original alien characters that may become official Alien Ranking Cards inside Progress Learning. Up to 20 winning designs will be selected and featured in the platform.

Eligibility

  • Open to students in grades K–8
  • Students may submit up to 10 entries each
  • Submissions may be completed in English or Spanish

What Students Must Include

Each entry must contain:

  • Original alien artwork
  • Alien name
  • Optional short description (powers, personality, backstory, etc.)

Artwork may be:

  • Hand-drawn
  • Digitally created

Design Guidelines and Restrictions

All submissions must meet the following requirements:

  • Artwork must remain alien-themed.
  • No profanity, vulgar language, or inappropriate content.
  • No references to violence, weapons, fighting, or harmful behavior.
  • No references to drugs, alcohol, or illegal substances.
  • No political messages, slogans, or symbols.
  • No licensed or copyrighted characters (including characters from movies, television, books, video games, or other media).
  • Artwork must be entirely original student-created work.
  • AI-generated artwork is not permitted.
  • Student names should not be visible on the front of the design. Identifying information should only appear on the back (for physical submissions) or within the file name (for digital submissions).

By submitting entries, teachers confirm that all artwork complies with these guidelines.

Digital Submission Instructions

  1. Collect Student Entries
  • Gather all digital artwork files.
  1. Create One Shared Folder
  • Upload entries to a shared drive folder (Google Drive, OneDrive, etc.). Please ensure sharing permissions allow viewing access.
  1. Label Files Clearly
  • Each file should be named using this format: School_Grade_StudentFirstNameLastInitial

Example: BlalackMS_6_AaronR

  1. Complete the Submission Form

The submission form will collect:

  • Teacher name
  • District name
  • School name
  • Student first name(s) & last initial(s)
  • Link to shared drive folder with entries

Physical Submission Instructions

  1. If submitting hand-drawn artwork by mail, send entries to:

Progress Learning ATTN: ARC CONTEST

4965 Preston Park Blvd #850

Plano, TX 75093

You may include multiple entries in one envelope. Class sets are welcome!

  1. Labeling Requirements (Physical Entries)

Each individual entry must be clearly labeled with:

  • Student first name and last initial
  • Grade level
  • School name
  • Teacher name
  1. Identifying information should be written neatly on the back of the artwork or attached securely. Student names should not appear on the front of the design.

In addition, please include a cover sheet in the envelope with:

  • Teacher name
  • School name
  • District name
  • Contact email

Originals or Copies

You may submit either:

  • The original student artwork, or
  • A high-quality copy if you prefer to keep the original
Please note: Mailed artwork will not be returned. We recommend keeping copies for your records.

Important Dates

  • Monday, March 9: Contest Launch
  • Friday, April 17: All Student Submissions Due
  • Thursday, April 23–Friday, April 24: Company Voting
  • Friday, May 1: Winners Announced
All digital folders and mailed submissions must be received by Friday, April 17, 2026. 

Prizes

Up to 20 winning students will have their alien design featured in Progress Learning! Each winner will also receive:

  • A personalized trophy
  • An exclusive Progress Learning prize bundle

In addition, the winning student’s teacher will receive a $50 Amazon gift card for their classroom!

Bonus: If an entire class participates, the teacher will be entered into a drawing for a class pizza party!

Contest Documents (click to open/download)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can students submit more than one design?

Yes. Students may submit up to 10 entries each.

Can an entire class submit together?

Yes. Entire class submissions are welcome and may be submitted in one shared folder or one envelope.

Can students collaborate on a design?

Each entry should represent an individual student’s original work.

Can students use AI to generate artwork?

No. AI-generated artwork is not permitted.

Should artwork be on plain white paper?

Plain white paper is recommended for clarity and ease of reproduction, but it is not required.

Do submissions have to be in color?

No. Artwork may be in color or black and white.

What mediums can be used?

Students may use pencils, colored pencils, markers, crayons, paint, or digital tools. Please ensure the final submission is clear and legible.

Is there a required template?

No. Use of the official printable student template is encouraged but not required. You may download the template here: Printable Student Template

Are there size limits or requirements for artwork?

For physical submissions, standard letter size (8.5” x 11”) is recommended. For digital submissions, please ensure files are high resolution and clearly visible.

Is there a limitation on file types accepted?

Common file formats such as PDF, JPG, or PNG are recommended. Please ensure files can be opened without special software.

Can we submit copies instead of originals?

Yes. High-quality copies are acceptable. Originals will not be returned.

Will mailed artwork be returned?

No. Mailed submissions will not be returned.

When will winners be announced?

Winners will be announced via email and social media on Friday, May 1, 2026.

For additional questions, please contact marketing@progresslearning.com.

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