Jr Duck Stamp Contest Brochure

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Connecting Youth
with Nature through
Science and Art

OMB Control No. 1018-0172

2021- 2022 School Year Federal Junior Duck
Stamp Conservation and
Design Program and Art
Contest

2021 National First Place Winner
Margaret McMullen, age 18,
Kansas, Hooded Mergansers, Acrylic

“When the world turned upside-down nature calmly and quietly laid
a blanket of comfort over us all.”
Conservation Message Winner: Josie Arp, age 15, Arkansas

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Connecting Youth with Nature through Science and Art
The Junior Duck Stamp Program is a dynamic arts and science curriculum designed to
teach youth about waterfowl and their habitat needs. It works with today's youth to build a
lifelong appreciation for wildlife and explore wildlife conservation needs. Using scientific
and wildlife observation principles, the Program encourages students in kindergarten
through high school to observe, understand, and ultimately share what they have learned
about waterfowl conservation. By creating a unique art entry for their state's Junior Duck
Stamp Art Contest, a student's learning progression can be assessed.

Greater Awareness and Appreciation for Natural Resources
On June 30, 1993, during the First Day of Sale
Ceremony for the Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and
Conservation Stamp (Federal Duck Stamp), judges
selected the national first, second ,and third place
Junior Duck Stamp artwork. The first Federal Junior
Duck Stamp design winner was Jason Parsons from
Canton, Illinois. His design, featuring a redhead, was
used to create the first Junior Duck Stamp. Since that
year, with each national contest, a new design has
been selected.

/
1993-94 The First Junior Duck Stamp
USFWS / Jason Parsons

Proceeds from the sale of the $5 stamp are invested into the Junior Duck Stamp Program to
support conservation education and provide recognition for contest participants and winners.
Your support of the Program can be demonstrated by purchasing and collecting these
colorful pieces of artwork. See for more information on supporting
young artists and conservationists.

More than a Contest
The Program crosses cultural, ethnic, social, and geographic boundaries to teach greater
awareness of, and increase respect and appreciation for, natural resources. The nontraditional pairing of science and visual art strives to initiate curiosity in both subjects.
Students are provided an opportunity to artistically express their knowledge of the diversity,
interdependence, and beauty of wildlife. Program activities often include a visit to a wildlife
area. National wildlife refuges become a prime destination, not only for observing wildlife,
but also for the hands-on educational experiences available at many visitor centers. Handson learning techniques help students learn fundamental principles of waterfowl anatomy and
environmental science concepts while preparing their art entry.

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Curriculum
The Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program seeks to provide a conservation education
experience that will engage and inspire youth. The Program is designed to spark interest in habitat
conservation through science, art, math, and technology. To achieve this, the curriculum has been
modernized to make it more relevant to students and educators in today’s world. Written, field-tested,
and evaluated by classroom and homeschool teachers, environmental educators, and biologists, the new
curriculum includes elements such as using the Internet as a conservation tool and provides new
scientific information about today’s conservation challenges such as climate change and its impact on
wetland habitat.
The foundational Youth and Educator guides provide lesson plans and exercises focusing on scientific
principles and our changing natural world. Targeted at students in grades 5-8, the curriculum is relevant
across cultures and encourages students to engage with their natural world to develop a deeper
appreciation of natural resources. Activities stress wildlife observation, nature journaling, enjoying and
exploring the outside world, and investigating the treasures of the National Wildlife Refuge System.
Activities also incorporate information to stimulate students’ interest in careers in natural resources.
In addition, we now offer conservation education tools designed for use in homeschool settings and
community after school programs and other youth activities. The Homeschool and Nonformal
supplements contain activities that are appropriate for field trips, suggestions on development of service
projects, thoughts on how to work with partners, and ways to use the Educator and Youth guides in nonclassroom forums.
The new curriculum and activities meet National Science Education Standards, North American
Association for Environmental Education standards, and National Visual Arts education standards for
students in grades K-12.

All guides may be downloaded free of charge from the Junior Duck Stamp website at http://www.fws.gov/birds/
education/junior-duck-stamp-conservation-program/conservation-education-curriculum.php or you may
request a copy from your state coordinator (see list of state coordinators on website).
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U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Here’s How the Competition Works
The Junior Duck Stamp Program curriculum can be used throughout the year and across
many different grade levels and disciplines. We suggest that educators and students use the
curriculm guides to direct their exploration and investigation of waterfowl, wetlands, and
natural resource conservation throughout different seasons. As an assessment of what
students have learned, the Junior Duck Stamp Art Competition provides an outline for a
“final project” and culminates their learning for each academic year.
The actual art competition begins when students submit their artwork to their state or territory
contest. At this level, students are judged in four groups according to grade level: K-3, 4-6,
7-9 and 10-12. Three first, three second, and three third place entries, along with 16
honorable mentions, are selected from each age group. Contest judges select one “Best of
Show” from the 12 first place winners. Each state or territory “Best of Show” is then entered in
the National Junior Duck Stamp Contest which occurs in April.
To further the interdisciplinary goals of the Program, students are encouraged to include an
original conservation message along with their artwork. The message should explain
something about what the student has learned about wetlands, conservation, or waterfowl
and wildlife. It may also be a statement encouraging others to learn about and participate in
conservation.
In some states, the conservation messages are judged separately to determine a winner,
which is submitted to the national contest. Otherwise, at the national level, the conservation
messages accompanying each Best of Show art entry are judged and a winner chosen.

Special Information for Supervising Adults
Please read the following carefully. Adults, please explain and discuss with your students the
rules of this competition (and how they may differ from those of other contests and art
projects), the criteria upon which their artwork will be judged, and the ethics of art.
Their entry into the art contest can be treated as a final assessment of what your student has
learned about waterfowl, their habitat needs, wildlife conservation, and principles of visual art
design.
Although your students may have learned and further perfected their skills in different
art technique by copying a well known drawing or someone else's photograph, this is
not allowed in this contest. Students should express what they have learned about
waterfowl and wetlands by developing their own ideas. We want them to portray what
they have learned about their chosen species by creating their own visual conservation
message.

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Preparing for the Art Contest
As a participant in the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program Art Contest, students will
create their vision of the colorful, winged waterfowl that grace wetlands across North America. To do
this, they should study these beautiful creatures – reading about them, reviewing pictures and other
images, and even watching videos of their behavior. Hopefully, students will have opportunities to
observe wildlife in their natural habitat at a national wildlife refuge, a park in their community, or even
their own backyard.
Students will visually express what they have learned about the species they have chosen to depict.
Students will show what they have discovered about the species’ anatomy and unique characteristics,
demonstrated that they have observed waterfowl behavior, explored waterfowl habitats, and investigated
conservation challenges facing ducks, geese, and swans.
Scenes should depict North American waterfowl in their natural habitat. Students are encouraged to
illustrate aquatic vegetation, trees, and plants appropriate for the depicted species’ natural habitat. For
example, sea ducks could be shown in ocean areas; mallards may be depicted with cattails or similar
pond vegetation. Feather colors should be appropriate to the time of the year demonstrated by the
environment in the painting.
Decoratively designed birds receive equal voting consideration as realistic depictions, as long as they
are anatomically correct and recognizable.

Aesthetic Criteria
Use the following questions to help students understand the meaning of aesthetic criteria and how to
apply the criteria when developing thier own illustrations:
Form: Is the waterfowl anatomically accurate?
Texture: Are the textures visually and physically appropriate to the species of
waterfowl chosen?
Line: Are the details necessary, correct, and effective?
Colors: Are the colors appropriate to the selected species and surrounding habitat?
Does the illustration accurately depict the species of waterfowl in plumage, habitat,
and season, in a realistic or decorative depiction of the bird or birds?
Scale: Is the visual statement appropriate for a 1½” × 2” stamp or will details in the
illustration be lost when reduced in size?
Shape: Is the design suited to a horizontal, rectangular stamp shape?
Clarity of Visual Symbolism: Does the illustration communicate the purpose of the
stamp and can the elements of the illustration be easily identified?
Spatial Divisions: Are there negative and positive areas within the illustration and do
they work together?

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Original Student Design and Artwork
Educators and parents should not approve any student's work if they have any doubt as to
its authenticity or originality. Copyright infringement is a serious issue and you are responsible for
helping your student avoid plagiarism. By signing the entry form the student, parent, and
supervising educator are all stating that the entry is the student’s own original creation and idea and
does not violate another person’s property rights.
Students in all grade groups should review the original design requirements .

Contest Deadlines
Artwork with entry and reference forms must be postmarked by midnight of your state's
deadline. See deadlines under your state coordinator's contact information on website.
Send entries and forms to your state’s Junior Duck Stamp State Coordinator (see website
for contact information).
Students should send their artwork to their state of legal residence (if different from the state
of their school.) For students attending school abroad, send the entry to the coordinator in
the state of the student’s legal residence.
DO NOT send any entries to the Federal Duck Stamp Office. Junior Duck Stamp Art
Contest entry and reference forms are available for download from the Junior Duck Stamp
website at http://www.fws.gov/birds/education/junior-duck-stamp-conservation-program/
junior-duck-stamp-contest-information.php.

Who May Participate?
All K-12 students attending public, private, tribal, or home schools, or non-formal education
groups and after school groups in the United States and U.S. Territories are eligible to
enter.
U.S. citizens attending schools abroad may enter through their legal state of residence.
Students must be U.S. citizens, resident aliens, or nationals to receive prizes.
A valid Social Security number or Visa number is required for the award of monetary
prizes. (see "Proof of U.S. Residency" section).
In the case of foreign exchange students, their artwork may be judged at the state level,
but if awarded State Best of Show, the entry will not be forwarded for entry into the
national contest.
A student who won first place in the national Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest the preceding
year may not submit an entry in the current year's contest.
Only one entry per student.
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Art Contest Rules
Original Artwork Requirement and Artistic Integrity
Students, you may not reproduce another artist’s visual images and present them as your own creative
artwork.
Only work that is your unique creation should be entered into competition.
Do not submit work that has been directly or indirectly copied from any source. Your entry must be your own
creation and idea.
Do not copy or trace any part of someone else’s photo or artwork – whether published or unpublished -onto your drawing.
This is important for this contest as any copied, traced, or plagiarized paintings WILL BE DISQUALIFIED.
You may rely on others’ images as guides when developing your work. This can be helpful especially if
multiple references are used to develop a more complete understanding of the species represented in your
entry. However, others' images may be used for reference only.
Change enough of the elements so that you cannot easily identify which images you used as
references when you look at your creation.
For this contest, "copying the masters" or anyone's photograph or painting, is not permitted. If judges
or program officials can identify the reference materials upon which your entry is based, it will be
disqualified if it is too similar to the original.
All reference images must be recorded on the Reference Form. Although only students in grades 7-12 are
required to submit the Reference Form, all students are encouraged to document the reference images
they use as they may be requested and checked by the state or national coordinator prior to competition.
Educators and parents should not approve any student's work if they have any doubt as to its authenticity
or originality. By signing the entry form the student, parent, and supervising educator are stating that entry is the
student’s own original creation and idea.

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Permitted Species
Art entries should feature one of the native North American species listed
below. Contact your State Coordinator with questions regarding this permitted
species list. Note: Mute swans and Mandarin ducks are not permitted species.

Whistling-Ducks
Black-bellied Whistling-Duck
(Dendrocygna autumnalis)
Fulvous Whistling-Duck
(Dendrocygna bicolor)
Geese
Emperor Goose (Anser canagicus)
Snow Goose, including blue phase
(Anser caerulescens)
Ross's Goose (Anser rossii)
Greater White-fronted Goose
(Anser albifrons)
Brant (Branta bernicla)
Cackling Goose (Branta hutchinsii)
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis)
Swans
Trumpeter Swan
(Cygnus buccinator)
Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus)
Dabbling Ducks
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa)
Blue-winged Teal (Spatula discors)
Cinnamon Teal (Spatula cyanoptera)
Northern Shoveler
(Spatula clypeata)
Gadwall (Mareca strepera)
American Wigeon
(Mareca americana)
Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)
American Black Duck
(Anas rubripes)
Mottled Duck (Anas fulvigula)
Northern Pintail (Anas acuta)
Green-winged Teal (Anas crecca)

Diving Ducks
Canvasback (Aythya valisineria)
Redhead (Aythya americana)
Ring-necked Duck (Aythya collaris)
Greater Scaup (Aytha marila)
Lesser Scaup (Aythya affinis)
Sea Ducks
Steller's Eider (Polysticta stelleri)
Spectacled Eider (Somateria fischeri)
King Eider (Somateria spectabilis)
Common Eider (Somateria mollissima)
Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus histrionicus)
Surf Scoter (Melanitta perspicillata)
White-winged Scoter (Melanitta fusca)
Black Scoter (Melanitta americana)
Long-tailed Duck (Clangula hyemalis)
Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola)
Common Goldeneye (Bucephala clangula)
Barrow's Goldeneye (Bucephala islandica)
Mergansers
Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus)
Common Merganser (Mergus merganser)
Red-breasted Merganser (Mergus serrator)
Stiff-tailed Ducks
Ruddy Duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
Pacific and Caribbean Island Species
Hawaiian Goose or Nene
(Branta sandvicensis)
Laysan Duck (Anas laysanensis)
Hawaiian Duck or Koloa (Anas wyvilliana)
White-cheeked Pintail (Anas bahamensis)
Masked Duck (Oxyura dominica)

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e Technical Requirements for Design and Submission of an Entry
Please read and follow the rules below. Failure to follow these and other rules will lead to
disqualification of artwork.
The physical size of submitted artwork must be 9” x 12”.
Entries must be less than ¼” thick.
Image layout must be horizontal.
Image must be a live portrayal of a native North American duck, swan, or goose (refer to
eligible species list).
An entry may be multi-color, black and white, or a single color; it may be rendered in ink, paint,
pastel, crayon, or pencil. Techniques may include scratch-board, airbrush, linoleum printing, paper
collage, dry brush, crosshatch, pointillism, etc. No photography or computer generated art is
accepted.
Design entries must be the contestant’s original, hand-illustrated creation and may not be
traced or copied from photographs or other artists’ works. (See tips for using references.)
Photographs taken by the student may be used as references in the development of the
design. (See tips for using references.)
No lettering, words, signatures, or initials may appear on the front of the artwork as they
may influence judges and can interfere with the final stamp design.
Entries may not be matted or framed.
There should be no border around the image.
Before mailing, please remember to attach (tape) the signed entry form to the back of entry.
Include completed Reference Form with entry.

Proof of U.S. Residency
All students are permitted to participate in the program and encouraged to enter the contest. However,
students hoping to place in the contest must be citizens of the United States or U.S. Territories, or have
an official Immigration Visa or green card as proof of legal residency. A valid Social Security number or
Visa number is required for the award of monetary prizes. Teachers, parents, and guardians should
check to make sure all students who enter are U.S. citizens or legal residents in this country if they
wish to place. Students may be required to provide their Social Security or Visa number prior to
judging in the state or national contest.

When Submitting Your Artwork
Please ship your entry to your state coordinator with adequate support and
cushioning to ensure art is properly protected in transit.
A loose, detachable cover sheet may be laid over the art face to protect it during shipping.
Chalk and pastel entries should be sprayed with a fixative to eliminate possible scuffing and smudging
during transfer of artwork.
Make sure that your painting is completely dry prior to submitting it.

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Conservation Message
Each student is encouraged, but not required, to write a short conservation message that
expresses the spirit of what they have learned through classroom discussions, research, and
planning for their Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest entry. Please limit the length of the
conservation message to the space provided on the entry form. These messages must
also be the student's own work and may not be someone else's quote.

Use and Authorizations
By participating in the Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest, each student, supervising adult, and
legal guardian acknowledges the following rights and authorities and willingly agrees to each
of these conditions.
The Department of the Interior, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service:
Reserves the exclusive right to authorize the reproduction of the national firstplace winning design on stamps and various licensed products, and to
photograph the winning stamp design without compensation to the student.

Has the right to use the name, artwork, and photographs of the student for
promotional purposes without compensation to the student.
May disqualify any entry submitted to the Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest that has
the appearance of a plagiarized or copied submission.
Will not insure the entries it receives or be responsible for loss or damage of the
entries. In the event of an address change, it is the student’s responsibility to
inform the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service of this change. Artwork unclaimed after
one year from the date of the contest may be destroyed. Students are encouraged
to keep their own digital copy for their portfolio.
May send artwork on tour around the United States. Artwork on tour may be
handled by a third party.
Requires that the winning artist provide autographs on Junior Duck Stamps and
Junior Duck Stamp products without charge to the public or the Federal
Government.

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Judging
Observation of the judging will be free and open to the general public.
Recognition and prizes will vary from state to state; however, all entrants will receive certificates of
participation, and winners will receive special recognition. Teachers and supervising adults are
encouraged to submit artwork and conservation messages from every participant and to work with
their State Coordinator to ensure every participant receives a certificate.
Artwork entries will be judged on the basis of originality, anatomical accuracy, artistic composition and
suitability for reproduction on a 1½” by 2” stamp.
At the state level, judging will continue until awards have been allocated for first, second, and third
place, plus honorable mentions. For each state, district, or territory, there will be up to 100 awards: 12
first places, 12 second places, 12 third places, and up to 64 honorable mentions. One student’s design
will be selected from the 12 first place winners as “Best of Show.” Notification of winners will be made
as soon as possible.
One conservation message per state is judged at the national level. Many states submit the “Best of
Show” winner’s conservation message, while other states have separate judging to choose the winning
conservation message. For more information regarding your state’s conservation message contest,
please contact your State Coordinator.

National Level Scholarships
National First Place

$1000

National Second Place

$500

National Third Place

$200

National Conservation Message First Place

$200

In acknowledgment of the integral part parents play in education and in the future of our nation’s youth,
the national winner and one parent or guardian will receive a free trip to participate in the First Day of
Sale ceremony for the Federal and Junior duck stamps, held in late June/early July.

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Display of Winning Artwork
Each state, district, or territory “Best of Show” entry will be displayed at the Federal Duck
Stamp Contest, First Day of Sale Ceremony, waterfowl festivals, wildlife museums, and
galleries throughout the United States. The art is returned to the student the following year in
May, after the next National Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest. The national art tour schedule is
posted on the Federal Duck Stamp Website at http://www.fws.gov/birds/get-involved/duckstamp/federal-duck-stamp-art-exhibit-tour.php. State Coordinators may also choose to tour
the top winning state artwork. Please check with State Coordinators for state tour schedule.

Return of Entries
For questions regarding your artwork, please contact your State Coordinator (see website).
State Coordinators will attempt to return all entries to the students or schools. In some
areas, teachers will be notified to pick up the work at a central location. State non-winning
entries will be returned by June 1. In many states, the winning art will go on tour and will be
returned up to 1 year after the state contest date.
In the event that a student moves, it is their responsibility to contact their State Coordinator
as soon as possible. If artwork is unclaimed, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will not be
obligated to trace the location of the artist to return the artwork. All unclaimed entries may be
destroyed 1 year from the date of the contest. Every effort will be made to safely return
artwork to the students, however, artwork cannot be insured against theft, loss or damage.

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Tips on the Use of References
Student, as a participant in the Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Contest, you will create
your vision of the colorful, winged waterfowl that grace wetlands across North America. To do this, you
will study these beautiful creatures, reviewing pictures, images, or video. Perhaps you will even have
the opportunity to observe wildlife in their natural habitat at a national wildlife refuge, a park in your
community, or your own backyard.

Some Tips on How to Avoid Copying and Plagiarism
Do not copy or trace any part of someone else’s photo or artwork – whether published or unpublished -onto your drawing. Copied, traced or plagiarized paintings WILL BE DISQUALIFIED. This is a very
important rule and the tips below will help you to avoid being disqualified.
What do we mean by plagiarism and copying? Plagiarism is when you deliberately take someone
else's work, don't acknowledge the source, and claim it as your own. Copying is when you imitate or
reproduce someone else's work and make an exact or almost exact duplicate of it. If you duplicate
someone else's work, you have copied them and, in this contest, we do not want you to do that.
Why are copying and plagiarism against the rules? Plagiarism is dishonest because you are not giving
credit to somebody else's creation. Copying is stealing someone else’s artwork and it limits you as an
artist. You would not be allowed to copy someone else on a term paper; artwork has the same rules we want to see YOUR creation, not someone else's.
We provide the Reference Form and require (if you are in Grades 7-12 (Groups III or IV)) or
encourage (if you are younger) you to use it in order to help you follow this rule. Citing your
references is a good habit to learn, and it makes it easier to show where you found your ideas or
learned a specific technique. You may be asked to show or provide these reference before your
artwork can be judged.
By properly filling out the Reference Form and reporting all the reference materials that you
used to create your artwork, you acknowledge where your ideas come from. You can find more
tips to fill out the Reference Form in this document.
You may not copy someone else's photograph or artwork - even if you don't think it is
copyrighted or published or even if you have permission to use it. You must develop your own
creation. Often it is difficult to come up with ideas, so where should you start?
There are many different ideas and viewpoints on what makes a student's work original and
authentic. The following are suggestions for you to follow that may help you be more creative
and develop your unique masterpiece for this contest. Do not stop at your current level of skill challenge yourself to try a different method, use a different media, or try a different subject.
Go outside and observe waterfowl around your backyard, your neighborhood, a national wildlife refuge, or
park. Investigate and explore their habitat, behavior, and anatomy. Take your own photographs and draw
your own sketches based on what you observe.
How will you incorporate visual art elements (color, texture, shape, etc.)? How will you express what you
know about the principles of design and composition (balance, pattern, unity, etc.)? What visual effects
(such as motion and depth) can you use to make an impression on the viewer?

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Although many of us may have learned to draw by copying a well known drawing or
someone else's photograph, this is not allowed in this Art Contest - we want you
express what YOU have learned about waterfowl and wetlands. We want you to be
creative in developing your ideas and take what you have learned and create your own
visual waterfowl message. While technical skill is important, we are very interested in
your creativity.
You may find a picture that inspires you and you want to try to imitate that picture. However,
you may not copy someone else's picture when creating your own design. Even if the picture
belongs to someone who gives you permission to use it, do not copy it.
You may also look at past duck stamps for ideas and inspiration - but again,do not copy them.
You may also look at photos from books, magazines, or the internet, or photos taken by
someone else to study the coloring, feathers, or anatomy of different species of ducks,
geese and swans.

Consider how photographers and other artists compose their masterpieces. Do you like the
species of waterfowl or its setting? Is the animal displaying some interesting behavior? What
inspires you about their artwork that you would like to share in your creation?
If using a reference source, change it to fit your style and ideas. If you see a painting of a
scene of ducks on a log, go find your own log and your own duck reference, change the
species and setting, make it your own idea based on the work of another that inspired you.
Extensively change the "attitude" of the duck for your creation. For example, if the duck’s
head is upright, draw it facing down as if it is drinking water, or turn the angle of the duck’s head.
If the duck in the photo is in profile, draw the bird as if it is turning its body at a different angle. If
the photo of the duck is in overall sunlight, change and paint the bird with a “sidelight.” If the
duck is swimming on blue water in a published photo, paint or draw your own water ripples and
make it greenish in color.
Take decoys or taxidermy mounts and place them in various settings. (Decoys may be depicted
in your entry but a live waterfowl must be the dominant feature in the work.)
Collect aquatic plants, leaves, and bark to study and make sketches of these materials.Develop
your own waterfowl sketchbooks and photo albums and fill them with ideas and different
compositions and layouts of waterfowl and their habitats.
When you are ready to start painting from your sketches, we recommend you use a
grid method to transfer your design onto your drawing board.

Your artwork should not be easily recognized as coming from any particular source.
Remember, copying anyone else’s art limits you as an artist. You will grow more as an
artist by trying different techniques, angles, and backgrounds in your design. When
someone views your artwork they should not be able to recognize the reference you used
to create it.

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Visual Reference

Proper Use of Reference

This illustration could be entered.
Both by Dominic Dropnik / USFWS

2004 Federal Duck Stamp

Improper Use of Reference

This illustration would be disqualified.

This is a nearly identical copy of the 2004
Federal Duck Stamp and would be
disqualified.

This is a proper use of the reference.
Study the differences between the stamp
and this drawing. The snow goose is
featured in a different flight angle.
Additional features in the stamp, such as
the lighthouse, have been omitted. What
other differences do you see?

Make it original. Make it your own!
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Artistic Reference Form
You should explore your own sense of creativity while producing your original wildlife artwork.
The Reference Form is where you will record the images, books, or objects you studied to
create your original artwork.

Filling in Your Reference Form
For students in Grades 7-12 (Groups III and IV), you must include this Reference Form with
your entry or your entry will be disqualified.
Reference all sources.
Include as much information as possible (see examples below).

Reference Examples
Published References:
Must include full name of author, photographer or editor; title of the publication and page
number(s). Example: Mueller, Keith. Waterfowl Concepts. Pages 6, 32, 54, 112.
References Not Found in a Book:
Such as personal observations or photographs: must include full name of observer or
photographer, species, date, and location. Example: Herman, Amber, Mallards,
Mississippi River, Davenport, Iowa, May 2007.
Images from the Internet:
Must include photographer or artist’s full name, and full website address. Example:
Sevcik, Jan, www.naturephoto-cz.com/photos/sevcik/mallard—anas- platyrhyncos-5.jpg
Do not simply state "Google Images" or "found on line".
Other Sources:
Provide as much identifying information as possible.

All students in grades 7-12 must submit the Reference Form along with your entry. You may attach the
Reference Form to your artwork or include it in the envelope with your entry, or give it to your teacher to
send along with your artwork. Students in grade groups I and II are encouraged to work with their teacher
or parent to complete the Reference Form, but are not required to submit it with their entry. All students are
encouraged to include their reference materials (or copies there of) with their entry.

Over 25 Years of Conservation Education through Science and Art

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

Two Types of Federal Duck Stamps
The Federal Migratory Bird Hunting and Conservation Stamp, or "Duck Stamp" was
created in 1934 to help fund the purchase and conservation of our nation’s wetlands. While
anyone can purchase a Duck Stamp, it is a required purchase for waterfowl hunters 16 and
older. A current Duck Stamp can also serve as an entrance pass to national wildlife refuges
where entrance fees are charged. Many conservationists and outdoor enthusiasts, stamp
collectors and wildlife art lovers also buy them.
Sales of Federal Duck Stamps have generated more than $950 million to acquire almost 6
million acres of wetlands in the United States. These conservation lands are managed by
the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s National Wildlife Refuge System. Benefits of having a
nearby refuge include economic and aesthetic support to local communities. Students can
find many opportunities to observe waterfowl and see wetland habitat on national wildlife
refuges. For more information about refuges visit: www.fws.gov/refuges.
The Junior Duck Stamp was modeled after the Federal Duck Stamp. Since 2000, the
Program has received more than 450,000 contest entries. Many other students have not
submitted entries but participated through the educational curriculum in their classrooms,
nonformal education settings or on national wildlife refuges.
More than $1.25 million in Junior Duck Stamp proceeds have been used to provide
recognition, incentives, and scholarships to participating students, teachers and schools. The
Program continues to educate youth about land stewardship and the importance of
connecting to their natural worlds.
If you want to help perpetuate and grow the Junior Duck Stamp Program so that it can
continue providing students in K-12 a conservation through the arts education, you
should consider purchasing and collecting the $5 stamp.

Where to Buy Duck Stamps
Federal Duck Stamps are sold for $25 in many U.S. Post Offices, sporting goods stores,
online at www.duckstamps.com, and at many national wildlife refuges. Additionally, anyone
can purchase stamps, no matter where they live or whether or not they hunt, through any of
the states that sell e-stamps as part of their online hunting license sale sites. Ninty-eight
percent of the sale price goes directly to conserving wildlife habitat used by ducks,
geese, swans, and many other species of wildlife.
Junior Duck Stamps are also sold online through the U.S. Postal Service and at
www.duckstamps.com. You can also ask your local national wildlife refuge if they carry them.
All of the proceeds from the sale of Junior Duck Stamps goes back into the Program to
support student art and conservation education.
Check http://www.fws.gov/birds/get-involved/duck-stamp/buy-duck-stamp.php for more
information on where to buy Federal and Junior duck stamps.

Over 25 Years of Conservation Education through Science and Art

Junior Duck Stamp Program MS:MB
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Headquarters
5275 Leesburg Pike
Falls Church, VA 22041-3803
703/358-2145
http://www.fws.gov/birds/education/junior-duck-stamp-conservation-program.php
For State relay service
TTY / Voice:711
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Serivce
http://www.fws.gov
May 2021

We Are Green

This brochure is offered online.
Please help us conserve our environment by accessing Junior Duck Stamp materials on the Web and
only printing what is necessary. Thank you!

Connecting Youth with Nature Through Science and Art!