Junior Duck Stamp entries due in early 2011

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service enacourages K-12 students to share their art skills while learning about ducks by entering the 2011 Junior Duck Stamp competition. Most states' competitions have a March 15, 2011, deadline, but some states have much earlier deadlines, such as January. Check your state on this map to confirm its rules and deadline.

In addition to awarding national recognition and cash prizes ranging from $2,000 to $5,000 for artwork, the competition includes a conservation component. Students can submit a conservation message that "expresses the spirit of what they have learned through classroom discussions, research, and planning for their Junior Duck Stamp Contest entries." The first-place winner will receive a $500 cash prize.

The program also recognizes "the integral part teachers and parents play in education and the future of the youth of our Nation," so it provides the national winner, a parent or guardian, and the winner’s teacher with a free trip to Washington, D.C., for the First Day of Sale ceremony in late June/early July.