Campbell County Student Wins Tennessee Federal Junior Duck Stamp Contest

NASHVILLE — Campbell County High School senior Brandon Sharp from LaFollette is the overall winner in the 2008 Tennessee Federal Junior Duck Stamp art competition.

Sharp, 18, had entered the contest each of the past three years. His art teacher, Georgea Green, has been instructing students for many years with several students placing Best of Show in former Tennessee Junior Duck Stamp competitions.

The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency (TWRA) serves as a partner in the contest, which is sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Best of Show award winner was of a pair of mallards entitled designed in colored pencils and pastels.

More than 400 individuals entered Tennessee’s 14th Junior Duck Stamp Contest in four different age group categories. There were 11 other finalists for the Best of Show as a result of their first place award. First place winners included Kindergarten-Third Grade; Simeon Hinchman (Chattanooga), Juli-Cait Castellaw and Garrett Moore (both of Dyersburg), Fourth-Six Grade; Joanna Rush (Chattanooga), and Logan Rummells and Hailey McKee (both of Dyersburg), Seventh-Ninth Grade; Thomas Fawcett (Bolivar), Heather Calfee (Cookeville), and Callie Oldfield (Joelton), 10th-12th Grade; Alyssa Skillman (Chattanooga), and Brittany Hall (Dyersburg).

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 a.m. Sharp will receive a $1,000 scholarship, provided by known stamp collector, former Tennessee Wildlife Resources Commissioner and long-time supporter of the event, Mrs. Jeanette Rudy.

In addition to TWRA, the Tennessee Wildlife Federation and Bass Pro Shops work as partners in the event. 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 TWRA, and Matt Varino, Field Representative for Sen. Lamar Alexander.

Sharp’s winning artwork will move on to the national competition held at the San Diego Zoo in California to be judged on April 18 along with the winners from the other 50 states and District of Columbia. 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 be on 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 Web site 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.
BEST OF SHOW ARTWORK PHOTO

2008 Tennessee Federal Junior Duck Stamp Winners

Best of Show: 
Brandon Sharp, Sr., Campbell County HS, LaFollette
Art teacher - Georgea Green

Kindergarten –Third Grade:
1st Place                                 Simeon Hinchman, Chattanooga
Juli-Cait Castellaw, Dyersburg
Garrett Moore, Dyersburg
Fourth-Sixth Grade:
1st Place                                 Joanna Rush, Chattanooga
Logan Rummells, Dyersburg
Hailey McKee, Dyersburg
Seventh-Ninth Grade:
1st Place                                 Thomas Fawcett, Bolivar
Heather Calfee, Cookeville
Callie Oldfield, Joelton
10th-12th grade:
1st Place                                 Alyssa Skillman, Chattanooga
Brittany Hall, Dyersburg