Campbell County High School student Brandon Sharp from LaFollette has won top honors in the 2008 Tennessee Federal Junior Duck Stamp art competition held March 27th at the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge. The "Best of Show" entry of a pair of mallards entitled "Sunny Afternoon Swim" was designed in colored pencils and pastels. Brandon, age 18 has competed in the contest for the last three years. His art teacher, Georgea Green has been instructing students for many years with several students placing Best of Show in former Tennessee Jr. Duck Stamp competitions.
Also entered in Tennessee's fourteenth Junior Duck Stamp Contest were over 400 individuals in four different age group categories. The other eleven finalists and first place winners in their category included Juli-Cait Castellaw, Garrett Moore, Hailey McKee, Logan Rummells and Brittany Hall of Dyersburg; Simeon Hinchman, Joanna Rush and Alyssa Skillman of Chattanooga; Callie Oldfield of Joelton; Heather Calfee of Cookeville; and Thomas Fawcett of Bolivar.
Ribbons, plaques, and other prizes will be presented to the top 100 winners at an awards ceremony at the Opryland Hotel in Nashville on May 3 at 10:00 am. Mr. Sharp will receive a $1000 scholarship, provided by naturally known stamp collector Mrs. Jeanette Rudy along with other prizes including a framed 2007 Federal Duck Print.
The contest was sponsored by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in partnership with Tennessee Wildlife Federation, Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Bass Pro Shops. Judges were Steve Middleton with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Julie Schuster of Bass Pro Shops, Sarah Welker past state coordinator of the Tennessee Jr. Duck Stamp program, Brian Elkins of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and Matt Varino, Field Representative for Senator Alexander.
On April 18th Brandon's artwork will move on to the national competition held at the San Diego Zoo in California to be judged along with the winners from the other 50 states. The winner of the national competition will be used as the design for the 2008-2009 Federal Junior Duck Stamp. His artwork will travel in throughout the country on display in galleries and wildlife museums for one year.
The 36 First, Second and Third place Tennessee winners will also display at locations around the state throughout the following year. For more information about this program, display locations or to purchase a Federal Junior Duck Stamp, see the refuge website at www.fws.gov/TennesseeRefuge, or call the Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge at 731-642-2091.
The Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program is a dynamic educational program designed to teach wetland habitat and waterfowl conservation to students in kindergarten through high school. Using scientific and wildlife observation principles, the program helps students communicate visually what they have learned by creating an entry for the Junior Duck Stamp art contest. This non-traditional pairing of subjects brings new interest to both science and the arts. It crosses cultural, ethnic, social and geographic boundaries to teach greater awareness of our Nation's natural resources. The Junior Duck Stamp Program is based on the Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp commonly known as the "Duck Stamp".
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