The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today a pair of wigeons will be featured on the 2007-2008 Federal Junior Duck Stamp. The design for the new stamp, painted by 18 year-old Paul Willey of Conway, Arkansas, was chosen by a panel of judges on April 27 at the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest held at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.
The mixed media entry, entitled "An Elegant Pair" which previously won the Arkansas State Junior Duck Stamp Contest, was judged the top entry among the Best-of-State entries from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and American Samoa. The 2007-2008 Federal Junior Duck Stamp, which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service makes available for $5 to stamp collectors, conservationists, and the general public will be released on June 22, 2007. Proceeds from Junior Duck Stamp sales are used to support environmental education efforts and awards for contest winners.
"It is a great joy for me to acknowledge Paul Willeys artistry today," said David Verhey, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Interior. "Pauls eye for the natural world and his skill in putting their observations to canvas is an inspiration. I am also honored to be here to celebrate the Junior Duck Stamp program itself. The program is a great way to get children connected with their natural world, engaging them with a science-based curriculum that teaches conservation. Lastly, I can think of no more appropriate partner than the National Zoo to help reach many people from across the country who may not be aware of this outstanding educational program."
Madelyn Yohn, age 18, of Myerstown, Pennsylvania, took second place with an acrylic painting depicting a pair of northern pintail ducks called "Dabbling in the Marsh."
Third place went to Paige Brevick, age 16, of Chatfield, Minnesota for her rendition of a fulvous whistling duck done in acrylic.
The National Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest is the culmination of a year-long Junior Duck Stamp conservation curriculum used by educators across the nation. This year, more than 34,000 Junior Duck Stamp design entries were entered to be judged during State competitions held from February until mid-April. The judges are people active in the local wildlife art or conservation community.
The State "Best of Show" winning designs were then sent to Washington, D.C., where the top three entries were chosen today by a panel of five judges. The Junior Duck Stamp Contest winner receives a free trip to Washington, D.C., along with their art teacher, a parent, and the state coordinator, to be honored during a First Day of Sale Ceremony held in June. The first-place winner receives a $5,000 award. The second place winner receives $3,000 and the third-place winner receives $2,000.
Judges for this years national Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest were Richard Clifton, winning artist of the 2007 Federal Duck Stamp competition; Evan Hirsche, President of the National Wildlife Refuge Association; Amy Lamb, innovator in the field of science and nature photography; Beverly L. Perry, Senior Vice President for Government Affairs and Public Policy for Pepco Holdings, Inc; and Michael Hickey, Office of Management and Budgets Program Examiner for the Fish and Wildlife Service.
.The First Day of Sale Ceremony for the 2007-2008 Federal and Junior Duck Stamps will be held on Thursday, June 22, 2007, at Bass Pro Shops in Springfield, Missouri. It is free and open to the public. Both duck stamp artists will be available to sign stamps and covers at this event, and the U.S. Postal Service will have a special cancellation on-hand for collectors.
For more information and a complete list of images and contest results, please see the Duck Stamp Programs home page at http://www.fws.gov/duckstamps/.
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 97-million-acre National Wildlife Refuge System, which encompasses 547 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.
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