California Hosts Junior Duck Stamp Contest
OutdoorHub 02.17.14
Artwork has begun to arrive at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex as students in grades K-12th across California participate in the Federal Junior Duck Stamp annual art competition. The deadline for entries is March 15, 2014. In 2013, over 4,000 pieces of art were submitted. California teachers are encouraged to submit their student’s work for consideration in this state and national competition.
The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program is a curriculum combining wetland and waterfowl conservation with the visual arts intended to teach wetlands and waterfowl conservation to students at all primary and secondary school grade levels. The program is a non-traditional pairing of art and science education. It spans cultural, ethnic, social and geographic boundaries to teach awareness of our nation’s natural resources.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) awards certificates of appreciation to all students who enter the contest. One hundred winners in four age categories and Best of Show receive awards as well as being published in the yearly California Junior Duck Stamp calendar. The Best of Show artwork from each state is sent to Washington D.C. to compete in a national contest, and the national winner is featured on that year’s Federal Junior Duck Stamp.
The Junior Duck Stamp competition is similar to the FWS’s prestigious Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp (Federal Duck Stamp) national art contest. Migratory bird hunters are required to posses a Federal Duck Stamp. However, junior stamps are acquired solely for their collector’s and environmental education values. Proceeds from the sale of Junior Duck Stamps are used to fund conservation education, awards and scholarship programs.
Junior Duck Stamp Program entry forms and teacher’s guides may be obtained from the website: http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Sacramento/JDS.html.
California entries must be postmarked March 15 or earlier and mailed to: Junior Duck, c/o Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, 752 County Road 99W, Willows, CA 95988.
For more information, contact the Refuge at (530) 934-2801 or http://www.fws.gov/refuge/Sacramento/JDS.html.
