The Friends of the National Wildlife Refuges of Rhode Island is accepting entries for the 2016-2017 Federal Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest until March 15.  This nationwide competition, a program of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service administered on the state level, is open to all K-12 students attending public, private, tribal, or home schools.  Along with their original, hand-crafted artwork depicting waterfowl from a list of eligible native North American species, students are also encouraged to express what they have learned about wildlife, waterfowl, or wetlands through an accompanying original conservation message.  Entrants may render their images in paint, pastel, crayon, pencil, or ink, but photography or computer-generated art is not accepted. 

Students are judged in four groups according to grade level, with three first, three second, and three third place entries, together with sixteen honorable mentions, selected from each age group.  The “Best of Show” state winner is entered in the National Junior Duck Stamp Contest, which takes place in April.  The winning artwork from the national contest is made into that year’s Junior Duck Stamp.  Proceeds from the sale of this collectible $5 stamp, which is not valid for postage, are invested into the Junior Duck Stamp Program to support environmental education and provide recognition to young artists and conservationists. 

Rhode Island, which has been participating in this program for the last 20 years, drew close to 700 entrants last year.  The culmination of the contest is an award ceremony, during which winners are announced and their artwork displayed.  This year’s ceremony has been scheduled for the afternoon of Saturday, April 1 at Exeter-West Greenwich High School.

 Entry forms, contest rules, submission requirements and general information about the program may be found in the 2016-2017 program brochure.

For further information about the local contest, contact State Coordinators Maija Lutz and Peter Tassia at mmlutz@cox.net or juniorduckstampri@gmail.com.