Heartland Outdoors

Deadline ahead for Junior Duck Stamp

Fri, February 17, 2012

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now accepting entries for the 2012 Illinois Junior Duck Stamp Contest, which is administered by the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge.  Entries must be postmarked by March 15, 2012.

The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Program, celebrating its 20 year anniversary, engages children in environmental education through art. The program guides students, using scientific and wildlife observation principles to communicate visually what they have learned through an entry in their state’s Junior Duck Stamp contest. This conservation education program is open to any child in kindergarten through high school.

Students may submit artwork featuring one of the following species: whistling ducks, swans, geese, brant, dabbling ducks, diving ducks, sea ducks, mergansers, stiff tails, or Hawaiian ducks. A full list of permitted species is available online at http://www.fws.gov/juniorduck  Artw.ork entries will be judged on the basis of original design, anatomical accuracy, artistic composition and suitability for reproduction on a 1” by 1.5” stamp.

During the contest, students will be judged in four groups according to grade level: K-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12.Three first, three second and three third place entries, along with 16 honorable mentions will be selected from each group. Contest judges select a “Best of Show” from the twelve first place winners, which will be submitted to the Federal Duck Stamp Office and entered into the National Junior Duck Stamp Contest held on April 20, 2012 at Patuxent Research Refuge, Maryland. 

The first place art from the national contest is used to create a National Junior Duck Stamp each year. The Junior Duck Stamp is available for $5 from the U.S. Postal Service and from many National Wildlife Refuges.  All proceeds from the sale of the stamps support conservation education and provide awards and scholarships for participating students, teachers and schools.

A downloadable entry form and information on contest rules and regulations for teachers and supervising adults can be found online at http://www.fws.gov/jrduck  For .additional information or if you have questions regarding your student’s or school’s participation in the Jr. Duck Stamp contest, please contact your Jr. Duck Stamp State Coordinator, Kim King-Wrenn, 619-998-5955, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).  Entries and reference forms should be postmarked by March 15, 2012 and mailed to:

c/o Junior Duck Stamp Coordinator, Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, 8588 Route 148, Marion, IL 62959

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