Garrett Reed, a 15 year old artist from Snowflake High School painted a male Ruddy duck that was chosen as Best of Show for Arizonas Junior Duck Stamp Art competition. The winning entries will be on display during the month of June at Cabelas in Glendale, Arizona and at the Mayo Clinic, in Scottsdale, Arizona from July through September.
Reeds entry was submitted to national Junior Duck Stamp competition held at the San Diego Zoo in April. Reed and 14 Arizona students, accompanied by parents and teachers, attended the national judging at the San Diego Zoo. The students, representing three different schools, received free zoo entry and personal instruction from artist Joe Hautman, winner of several Federal Duck Stamp contests including 2008.
"I was glad I went to the National Competition," said Reed. "I learned a lot more than I thought I was going to. I got to see the competition I was up against and . . . it was an amazing competition! I got to see how the judging processworks and learned a few things they (judges) look for."
This years entries for the entire program of K-12 totaled 1,704, an increase of five hundred and seventeen more than in 2007. The judging site was again hosted by Gila Bend Unified School District. Sponsors for the Arizona contest are Sportsmans Warehouse, Phoenix Zoo, One Dog Cachets, and Cabelas. The "Meet-the-Artists" awards event was held at the now ever-popular site, the Phoenix Zoo. Each child received two free passes for the day. This is the second year the Phoenix Zoo has so generously hosted the awards event.
This years prestigious judges were: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service employees Ed Meyers, (biologist and law enforcement officer) and Sharon Vaughan, (biologist and lover of ducks); Ted Blaylock, (nationally known wildlife artist, chosen for Arizonas duck stamp (90-91) and trout stamp (94) ); Ed Young (award-winning master carver & retired science teacher), and Bill Perry (professional photographer.)
The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program is an integrated art and science curriculum developed to teach environmental science and habitat while exploring the aesthetic qualities of wildlife and nature. Contact Margot Bissell at 520-387-6483 or margot_bissell@fws.gov for further information about the Jr. Duck Stamp Competition or the internet at
