Junior Duck Stamp Images Migratory Bird Field Office, U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

2009 Junior Duck Stamp

U.S. FISH & WILDLIFE SERVICE ANNOUNCES 2009

JUNIOR DUCK STAMP STUDENT ART COMPETITION WINNERS

Artwork contest winner: Min Lee
Contest is celebrating 17 years of conservation through the arts

(Atlanta, GA) –

Min Lee will receive a $250 scholarship from Georgia Power Corporation and over $50 worth of art supplies and waterfowl field guides. As Georgia’s Best of Show, Lee’s artwork has also been sent for the federal competition scheduled on Earth Day, Wednesday, April 22, at the National Postal Museum, Washington, D.C. Images from all states and territories can be seen on the Internet at http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps.

This year, Junior Duck Stamp entries were submitted from 50 public and private schools, home schools, art studios, and after-school programs throughout the state. Lee’s winning entry was submitted through teacher Mikki Kim of Northview High School in Johns Creek, Georgia.

A panel of distinguished judges selected for their expertise in artistic design, wildlife art, and waterfowl biology decided the winners of this year’s Georgia Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest. A total of 100 winners were selected, featuring twenty-five winners in each of four different age groups: Kindergarten to third grade, fourth to sixth grade, seventh to ninth grade and tenth to twelfth grade, as well as the state’s Best of Show.

This year’s esteemed judges featured: Greg Balkcom, expert waterfowl biologist with Georgia Department of Natural Resources; Charles Seabrook, Atlanta Journal Constitution, prize-winning science and environment reporter; Bob Brinkman, Environmental Analyst Senior, Georgia Power Company, long-time sponsors of the Georgia Junior Duck program; Shari Zellers, multi-award winning Atlanta professional photographer; and Marilyn Brower, Acting Deputy Chief/Refuges, Advanced Leadership Development Program, Washington DC.

For a complete list of the 100 contest winners click here, or contact Resee Collins in the Division of Migratory Birds, (404) 679-7051 or Resee_Collins@fws.gov.

Prizes and ribbons are also being given for the best student conservation message that expresses the spirit of what they learned while researching and planning for their Duck Stamp Contest artwork entry. This years’ conservation message winner is 17-year-old David Jones, from Agape Art Academy in Hixson, Georgia, who submitted: “The world of tomorrow depends on the generation of today.” David’s artwork of an Emperor Goose also received Second Place in Group 4. Judges also voted an Honorable Mention Conservation Message winner to “Save a Duck --- Clean Up Your Yuck!” submitted by 8-year-old Lydia Akin in Conyers.

Junior Duck Stamps are sold by the U.S. Postal Service and Amplex Corporation consignees for $5 per stamp. Proceeds from the sale of Junior Duck Stamps support conservation education, and provide awards and scholarships for students, teachers, and schools that participate in the program.

The Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest is open to all youth in grades Kindergarten through 12th grade. All participants receive a certificate of appreciation. This is the 15th year of the student art competition, which is modeled after the Federal Duck Stamp Program, celebrating its 75th anniversary this fall at Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. To learn more about the Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest and to see digital images of the 2009 winning artwork (posted in May).

For further information about the Junior Duck Stamp contest or the Fish and Wildlife Service, please contact Resee Collins at (404) 679-7051, or e-mail Resee_Collins@fws.gov.

Digital images of the 2009 winning artwork will be posted on the website in May.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.

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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is the principal Federal agency responsible for conserving, protecting, and enhancing fish, wildlife and plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. The Service manages the 96-million- acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 547 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 70 national fish hatcheries, 64 fishery resources offices, and 81 ecological services field stations. The agency enforces Federal wildlife laws, administers the Endangered Species Act, manages migratory bird populations, restores nationally significant fisheries, conserves, and restores wildlife habitat such as wetlands, and helps foreign and Native American Tribal governments with their conservation efforts. It also oversees the Federal Assistance program, which distributes hundreds of millions of dollars in excise taxes on fishing and hunting equipment to State fish and wildlife agencies.