Event Features 2,000 Entries From Students in Grades K-12
Student waterfowl artists from schools throughout California will have their entries judged during the17th Annual California Federal Junior Duck Stamp Contest Tuesday, March 27 in Willows, Calif. The event will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Willows Memorial Hall, 516 West Sycamore Street in Willows and is open to the public.
A panel of 13 local waterfowl experts, educators and artists will choose winners in several categories from an estimated 2,000 entries. Judges include: Elly Fairclough, District Representative for Congressman Mike Thompson; Alex Pitts, Assistant Manager, External Affairs, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services California and Nevada Operations Office (CNO); Kevin Foerster, Refuge Manager, Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex; Robert McLandress, PhD., President, California Waterfowl Association (CWA); Robert Shaffer, Coordinator, Central Valley Joint Venture; John Carlon, President, River Partners; Tom McCabe, PhD., Assistant Manager, Conservation Partnerships, CNO; James L. Martin, Recreation and Wildlife Resources Advisor, California Department of Water Resources; Gary Kramer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Retired; Paul Buttner, Manager of Environmental Affairs, California Rice Commission; Marilyn Hendrickson, Member, CWA Board of Directors and local artist Denise Devine. Representatives from the California Department of Fish and Game will also participate.
The Federal Junior Duck Stamp program is a national conservation and education program tailored to students in grades K-12. Teachers use curriculum to conduct classroom activities relating to conservation, wildlife art and philatelic topics. The unique program is a non-traditional pairing of art and science that spans cultural, ethnic, social and geographic boundaries to promote awareness of our nations natural resources. The artwork is judged in four age groups: Grades K-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12. Three first place, three second place, three third place and 16 honorable mention winners will be chosen from each group. Winning designs receive plaques, savings bonds, art supplies and various other awards from the sponsors. All winners receive ribbons and certificates from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and all entries receive participation certificates. Californias Best of Show will be entered into the national competition in Washington D.C. to select the 2006-07 Federal Junior Duck Stamp.
In California, the contest is directed by the U.S Fish and Wildlife Services http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/junior/junior.htm .
The 100 winning designs will be part of a display that will travel throughout California for one year. For further information on scheduling a display or a complete list of this years winners, please contact the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex at (530) 934-2801.
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 95-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 545 national wildlife refuges, thousands of small wetlands and other special management areas. It also operates 69 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.
