AI Use Policy Agreement
Purpose
Artificial intelligence (AI) tools can be useful educational resources when used responsibly. The North Carolina Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts (NCASWCD) recognizes that students may use AI tools as part of the learning process; however, the purpose of the Education Contests is to evaluate a student's own knowledge, research, creativity, communication skills, and understanding of soil and water conservation.
AI use must not provide a student with an unfair competitive advantage or replace the student's own work. Any use of AI in an NCASWCD Education Contest must comply with this policy and the specific rules of the contest.
ChatGPT was used to brainstorm and organize ideas for an AI policy to address all of the NCASWCD education contest areas. The AI policy was independently reviewed for correct information and to make adjustments that align with our contest rules.
1. Definition of Artificial Intelligence
For purposes of this policy, artificial intelligence (AI) includes computer programs or online services capable of generating, modifying, analyzing, or transforming content based on user input,
Examples include, but are not limited to:
- ChatGPT
- Google Gemini
- Microsoft Copilot
- Claude
- AI writing or rewriting tools
- AI image generators
- AI presentation generators
- AI-powered research or search tools
- AI voice or video generators
- Other generative AI tools that become available in the future
- AI-assisted spelling, grammar, accessibility, or formatting features may also fall under this policy when they generate or substantially modify a student's work.
2. General AI Expectations
Students may use AI as a learning and support tool, provided that:
- The student's work remains substantially their own.
- The student understands and can explain the information included in the submission.
- The student verifies information obtained from AI using reliable sources.
- The student does not present AI-generated work as entirely their own.
- The student discloses AI use as required by this policy.
- AI is not used to gain an unfair advantage over other contestants.
AI tools frequently produce inaccurate or misleading information. Students are responsible for checking facts, statistics, quotations, scientific claims, and sources before including them in a contest submission.
3. Acceptable Uses of AI
Unless a particular contest rule states otherwise, students may use AI for limited support activities such as:
- Generating questions to help begin research.
- Explaining a difficult concept in a way the student can understand.
- Suggesting possible search terms or areas for further research.
- Checking spelling, grammar, punctuation, or sentence mechanics in student-written work.
These uses are permitted only when the student remains responsible for the final work and the ideas, research, wording, and presentation demonstrate the student's own understanding.
4. Unacceptable Uses of AI
The following uses are prohibited:
- Having AI write all or a substantial portion of an essay and submitting it as the student's own work.
- Having AI write a speech that the student presents as his or her original speech.
- Having AI create the primary content of a poster, essay, or slideshow in place of the student's own work.
- Copying AI-generated text into a submission without appropriate disclosure.
- Using AI to paraphrase or rewrite another person's work in an attempt to avoid
plagiarism.
- Using AI to create fabricated sources, quotations, statistics, research findings, or citations.
- Using AI to create a research position or argument that the student does not understand.
- Using AI-generated images, artwork, graphics, audio, or video when doing so replaces the creativity or work expected of the student.
- Using AI during a contest, presentation, judging session, or other competition period when the contest rules prohibit outside assistance.
- Asking another person to use AI on the student's behalf when that use would otherwise violate this policy.
- Failing to disclose required AI use.
- Any other use that gives a student an unfair competitive advantage.
5. Contest-Specific Guidance
A. Poster Contest
AI may be used for limited brainstorming and research assistance. The concept, message, wording, artwork/design, and final creative product should be
substantially the student's own work. AI-generated artwork or images should not be used when the contest's judging criteria are intended to evaluate the student's artistic creativity or design skills.
B. Essay Contest
Students may use AI for brainstorming, understanding a topic, and checking grammar. Students may not use AI to write the essay, rewrite substantial portions of the essay, generate the student's argument, or produce paragraphs that are submitted as the student's original writing.
The final essay must reflect the student's own:
- Research
- Ideas
- Analysis
- Organization
- Writing
- Voice
Students remain responsible for verifying all facts and sources. Sources (websites, statistics, etc.) should be cited in a bibliography using MLA format.
Use this resource to learn how to use MLA citations:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_formatting_and_style_guide.html
C. Slideshow/Presentation Contest
AI may be used to brainstorm topics, develop research questions, and check grammar. The student's research, analysis, explanations, and presentation should be substantiallytheir own work.
AI-generated images, graphics, narration, video, or other media should not be used.
AI should not create the substantive content of the presentation in place of the student's own research and understanding. Students remain responsible for verifying all facts and sources.
Sources (websites, statistics,etc.) should be cited in a bibliography using MLA format. Use this resource to learn how to use MLA citations:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_formatting_and_style_guide.html
D. Public Speaking Contest
Students may use AI to:
- Brainstorm possible topics.
- Develop research questions.
- Practice answering questions that judges may ask.
- Check grammar or mechanics in a student-written speech.
AI may not write the student's speech or substantially rewrite the speech.
The speech must represent the student's own knowledge, research, reasoning, organization, and communication skills.
During the contest, students may not use AI or other outside assistance unless specifically authorized by the contest rules.
Students remain responsible for verifying all facts and sources. Sources (websites, statistics,etc.) should be cited in a bibliography using MLA format.
Use this resource to learn how touse MLA citations:
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_formatting_and_style_guide.html
6. Disclosure of AI Use
When AI is used in preparing a contest submission, students should disclose that use.A simple disclosure statement may be included with the submission:
AI Use Disclosure: I used [name of AI tool] to [briefly describe how it was used]. The final submission, including the research, ideas, analysis, and/or creative work, was reviewed and completed by me.
Examples:
I used ChatGPT to brainstorm possible conservation topics and to check grammar in my essay. I independently conducted my research and wrote the final essay.
I used Google Gemini to generate questions that helped me begin researching soil health. I verified the information using the sources listed in my bibliography.
I used an AI tool to provide feedback on the organization of my student-created slideshow. I created the final content and design.
Disclosure should be specific enough for contest officials to understand what AI tool was used and how it was used.
8. Student Responsibility
The student is ultimately responsible for the submitted work. Students must:
- Understand the material they submit.
- Verify AI-generated information.
- Properly cite information from outside sources.
- Follow contest-specific rules.
- Disclose AI use when required.
- Ensure that the final submission accurately represents their own knowledge and abilities.
Teachers, parents, advisors, conservation district staff, and other adults may provide guidance consistent with the contest rules, but they may not use AI or other outside assistance to create a student's contest submission.
9. Fair Competition and Academic Integrity
NCASWCD Education Contests are intended to provide a fair opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge, creativity, research, and communication skills.
Any attempt to gain an unfair advantage through AI or other means will not be tolerated. Failure to comply with this policy may be considered an academic integrity violation and may result in disqualification.
Contest officials may consider the nature and extent of the violation when determining an appropriate response. A student may be asked to explain or defend the content of his or her submission. Inability to demonstrate an understanding of submitted material may be considered when determining whether a violation occurred.
10. Contest-Specific Rules Take Precedence
NCASWCD may establish additional AI restrictions for individual contests or contest years. For example, a contest may:
- Prohibit all AI use.
- Permit only grammar or spelling assistance.
- Permit brainstorming and research assistance.
- Permit AI-generated media with disclosure.
- Prohibit AI-generated media.
- Prohibit all electronic assistance during the contest period.
When a contest's official rules are more restrictive than this policy, the contest-specific rules take precedence.
12. Guiding Principle
The simplest test for determining whether AI use is appropriate is:
Did AI help the student learn and improve their work, or did AI do the work that the
contest is designed to evaluate?
If AI performs the skill the contest is intended to measure, its use is not appropriate.
Student Acknowledgment
By submitting an entry to an NCASWCD Education Contest, the student acknowledges that:
- The submission represents the student's own work to the extent required by the contest rules.
- The student has followed the NCASWCD AI Use Policy.
- Required AI use has been disclosed.
- Information obtained through AI has been reviewed and verified.
- The student understands that failure to comply with the policy may result in
disqualification.