Students in K-12 invited to submit artwork
A couple years back I had the opportunity to serve on the selection panel for the Maine Audubon’s Federal Junior Duck Stamp Challenge provided for students in grades K-12. It was a pleasure to help out and I was so impressed with the student artwork. This challenge is a great opportunity for interdisciplinary connections – science and art – for teachers across the state. And, the big winners are the students! Learners can understand how the Federal Duck Stamp Program is one way to conserve our country’s wildlife and wildlife habitat.
Maine Audubon is collaborating with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the 27th annual Federal Junior Duck Stamp Program, and we’re looking for Maine students to submit some creative, innovative, beautiful waterfowl art!
The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program is a dynamic, multidisciplinary curriculum that teaches wetland and waterfowl conservation to students in kindergarten through high school. The program encourages students to explore their natural world, invites them to investigate biology and wildlife management principles and challenges them to express and share what they have learned with others. This program and curriculum lend themselves to learning in a variety of forms, remote, hybrid teaching and in-classroom instruction.
Click here to see the artwork selected from the 2019-2020 Maine Junior Duck Stamp Challenge!
The winning artwork from a national art contest serves as the design for the Junior Duck Stamp, which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service produces annually. This $5 stamp has become a much sought after collector’s item. One hundred percent of the revenue from the sale of Junior Duck stamps goes to support recognition and environmental education activities for students who participate in the program.
This program has a free downloadable curricular guide to help support learning about waterfowl habitat and conservation. The guides provide fun, age-level appropriate activities that will enhance your curriculum and students’ knowledge of wildlife and habitat.
Maine Program and Submission Info
Students will be able to submit an entry of approved waterfowl art into the competition. Designs are considered in four grade categories—K-3rd grades, 4th-6th grades, 7th-9th grades, 10th-12th grades—with recognition for first, second, and third places and honorable mentions.
The Maine Best of Show entry will be considered with artwork representing each state in the country. One design will be selected at the national level to create the Federal Junior Duck Stamp. Proceeds from the sale of Junior Duck Stamps (which cost $5 each) support conservation education by providing awards and scholarships for students, teachers, and schools.
You can download the teacher guides here and view the contest rules and entry forms here. For questions and/or curricular support, please contact Maine Audubon’s Lead Educator, Linda Woodard at lwoodard@maineaudubon.org.
Resources
Eligible Species
Videos
Waterfowl & Wetlands
The submission deadlines for the 2020-21 challenge is March 1, 2021. Send submissions to:
Maine Audubon
Attn: Junior Duck Stamp
20 Gilsland Farm Rd
Falmouth, Maine 04105
Thanks to our sponsor, L. L. Bean, for donating a deluxe backpack to the grand prize winner.
Maine Audubon works to conserve Maine’s wildlife and wildlife habitat by engaging people in education, conservation, and action.
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