diff --git a/server/vb/migrations/0001_initial.py b/server/vb/migrations/0001_initial.py
index 85cd620..2369612 100644
--- a/server/vb/migrations/0001_initial.py
+++ b/server/vb/migrations/0001_initial.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Generated by Django 5.0.3 on 2024-04-02 20:54
+# Generated by Django 5.0.3 on 2024-04-02 21:24
 
 import django.core.validators
 import django.db.models.deletion
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class Migration(migrations.Migration):
                 ('slug', models.SlugField(max_length=255, unique=True)),
                 ('start_at', models.DateTimeField()),
                 ('end_at', models.DateTimeField()),
-                ('description', models.TextField(default='{{ school.short_name }} students: check your voter registration for a 1 in 10 chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card.', help_text="A description of the contest. Can use {{ school.name }} to insert the school's name, etc.")),
+                ('template', models.TextField(default='{{ school.short_name }} students: check your voter registration for a 1 in 10 chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card.', help_text="A description of the contest. Can use {{ school.name }} to insert the school's name, etc.")),
                 ('school', models.ForeignKey(on_delete=django.db.models.deletion.CASCADE, related_name='contests', to='vb.school')),
             ],
         ),
diff --git a/server/vb/models.py b/server/vb/models.py
index 8e160ee..e844ebd 100644
--- a/server/vb/models.py
+++ b/server/vb/models.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import typing as t
 
 from django.db import models
+from django.template import Context, Template
 from django.utils.timezone import now as django_now
 
 from server.utils.contrast import HEX_COLOR_VALIDATOR, get_text_color
@@ -110,10 +111,10 @@ class Contest(models.Model):
     slug = models.SlugField(max_length=255, blank=False, unique=True)
     start_at = models.DateTimeField(blank=False)
     end_at = models.DateTimeField(blank=False)
-    description = models.TextField(
+    template = models.TextField(
         blank=False,
         help_text="A description of the contest. Can use {{ school.name }} to insert the school's name, etc.",  # noqa
-        default="{{ school.short_name }} students: check your voter registration for a 1 in 10 chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card.",
+        default="{{ school.short_name }} students: check your voter registration for a 1 in 10 chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card.",  # noqa
     )
 
     # For now, we assume that each contest is associated with a single school.
@@ -146,6 +147,11 @@ def seconds_until_end(self, when: datetime.datetime | None = None) -> float:
         when = when or django_now()
         return (self.end_at - when).total_seconds()
 
+    def description(self):
+        """Render the contest template."""
+        context = {"school": self.school, "contest": self}
+        return Template(self.template).render(Context(context))
+
     def __str__(self):
         """Return the contest model's string representation."""
         return f"Contest: {self.name} for {self.school.name}"
diff --git a/server/vb/templates/school.dhtml b/server/vb/templates/school.dhtml
index 40bbaa2..2f3ba4b 100644
--- a/server/vb/templates/school.dhtml
+++ b/server/vb/templates/school.dhtml
@@ -56,9 +56,11 @@
         <img src="{{ school.logo.url }}"
              alt="{{ school.short_name }} {{ school.mascot }} logo" />
         <h2>Welcome to the Voter Bowl</h2>
-        <p>
-          {{ school.short_name }} students: check your voter registration status for a 1 in 10 chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card.
-        </p>
+        {% if current_contest %}
+          <p>{{ current_contest.description }}</p>
+        {% else %}
+          <p>There is no contest at this time. TODO: show something useful in this state?</p>
+        {% endif %}
         <div class="button-holder">
           {% include "components/button.dhtml" with text="Check my voter status" bg_color=school.logo.action_color color=school.logo.action_text_color %}
         </div>