2026 poster winners
1st PLACE
Lyra A, of Port Clinton, Ohio
Lyra in Port Clinton, Ohio is our winner of the 2026 National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest. When asked about her poster and why she created it, she said: “I made this poster to make people aware of missing children. I feel bad for the families that have to go through having a missing child or children. That is why I wanted to draw a mother holding her daughter at a playground like she just got her back from being kidnapped or something else. So therefore that is why I drew this.”
Lyra was asked to tell a little about herself as well: “Hi my name is Lyra. My favorite animals are reptiles, dogs, and cats. My favorite color is pink. My favorite food is sushi. I also have texture issues. I love school and food. My favorite toys are squishies and baby dolls. I love to make things like food. I also love to go all out on birthday parties for my friends or cousins. I also love to go on walks.”
2nd PLACE
Julia M, of Port Clinton, Ohio
Julia in Port Clinton, Ohio is our 2nd place winner of the 2026 National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest. When asked about her poster and why she created it, she said: “I made someone holding a phone with an amber alert saying there’s a missing kid in the area.”
Julia was asked to tell a little about herself as well: “My name is Julia. I am 11 and I play two sports.”
3rd PLACE
Ruby M, of Port Clinton, Ohio
Ruby in Port Clinton, Ohio is the 3rd place winner of the 2026 National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest. When asked about her poster and why she created it, she said: “This poster was created to spread the word about bringing our missing children home. This poster shows a girl holding a flashlight in the dark trying to find her way back home. I made this poster so people can watch over their family and be more aware.
Ruby was asked to tell a little about herself as well: “My name is Ruby. I have always loved arts and crafts since I was a little kid. I enjoy spending time with friends and family but I also love my alone time. I’m also a cheerleader and actively involved in acro, lyrical, and jazz.”
2025 poster winners
1st PLACE
Jax S, of Wellston, Ohio
“My poster is a family photo wall on the left side,” Jax explained. “The two sad parents are standing in front of the pictures. In the pictures, the child is dark, with a question mark showing that he is missing. There is a split in the wall, and on the other side the child is sitting in a dark corner with no idea of where he is or how to get back to his parents. The parents and the child are silhouettes, symbolizing the sadness.”
About Jax, who is 11: “I started doing karate when I was 6 and I am a purple belt, but I have been taking a break for about a year because I want to try different things. I love playing basketball and football, but basketball is my favorite. I love rap music. Rap is the only thing I listen to. I like drawing.”
2nd PLACE
Arkady M, of Wellston, Ohio
“I drew my poster to encourage people to help reunite families with their missing children,” Arkady said. “The entire poster represents the families trying to find hope in the dark. The fireflies symbolize the missing children, with the hand trying to get them back. The dark sky is a representation of all the families losing hope. Light— happiness — may only return to the sky when all the fireflies have gone back.”
About Arkady: “Hello! My name is Arkady. I’m 10 years old as of writing this. I like drawing funny-looking characters and doing random stuff to them. I spend most of my time playing video games, mainly ones in the sandbox genre.”
3rd PLACE
Leena A, of Bowling Green, Ohio
Leena said her poster, “is telling a story about a kid who is lost and can’t find his way home to his family… . The parents holding out their hands represent that they are happy to see their son.”
About Leena: “I do 4-H, and I show cattle and rabbits. It is year one. I got Grand Champion in a pig show. I have a dog. She is a puppy, and she turned 1 on the first of March.”
Each year, the Ohio Attorney General’s Office Bureau of Criminal Investigation selects a state winner for the Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest, and that artwork competes at the national level against entries from across the country. In 2025, Ohio proudly claimed the top honor when Jax S., a fifth grader from Wellston, Ohio, won the National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest. His powerful design portrayed the anguish of families and the isolation of missing children, underscoring the urgency of recovery efforts.
Jax represented Ohio at the 42nd Annual National Missing Children’s Day Commemoration in Washington, D.C., where he was recognized alongside his family and teachers. His artwork will serve as the inspiration for the 2026 commemoration logo, continuing to raise awareness and strengthen nationwide efforts to protect children.
Jax S., winner of the 2025 National Missing Children’s Day Poster Contest, pictured with his teachers during the 42nd Annual National Missing Children’s Day Commemoration in Washington, D.C.
From left to right: Michelle C. DeLaune, President and CEO of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children; Jax S., 2025 national poster contest winner; Eileen M. Garry, Acting Administrator of the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; and Maureen Henneberg, Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Office of Justice Programs.