Ooltewah Resident Jet Smith Wins Best of Show for 2012 Tennessee Federal Junior Duck Stamp Contest
Thursday, May 10, 2012 | 04:24am
NASHVILLE --- Jet Smith, of Ooltewah, is the Best of Show winner in the 18th Annual Tennessee Federal Junior Duck Stamp art contest. He was recognized as this year’s overall winner at an awards’ ceremony held at Bass Pro Shops in the Opry Mills Shopping Center.
Jet, 15, is a 10th grade home school student. He depicted a female and male king eider and used colored pencils in his winning artwork that he titled “In Royal Company.”His Best of Show honor came from a selection of 12 finalists. Three first place winners are selected for each of the four grade divisions.
Last year’s Best of Show winner, Joanna Rush of Chattanooga, was a first place winner in the 10th-12th grade division. Joanna’s entry this year was a male and female green winged teal she named “Rock of Ages.” The third first place winner in the 10-12th grade division was Olivia Hughes, a senior at University School of Jackson and a two-time Best of Show recipient.
Other first place winners included Kindergarten-Third Grade; Elizabeth Kirby (Caruthersville, Mo.), James Sells and Carly Nix (both of Tullahoma. Fourth-Six Grade; Rachael Skillman (Chattanooga), Camille Moore (Belvidere), Kelsie Johnson (Dyersburg). Seventh-Ninth Grade; McKenzie Covrig (Georgetown), Caitlin Maupin (Ooltewah), and Kelsey Skillman (Chattanooga).
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service serves as the sponsor of Tennessee’s Federal Junior Duck Stamp Contest. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency serves as a partner in the contest along with Bass Pro Shops, Tennessee Wildlife Federation, Bass Pro Shops, and Ducks Unlimited.
Jet’s winning artwork will appear on the Tennessee waterfowl stamp which will be available early next year. Proceeds from the stamp’s sales go to benefit the waterfowl program. The state winner also advances to the national competition.The 36 first, second and third place Tennessee winners will 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 website 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 an educational program designed to teach wetland habitat and waterfowl conservation to students in kindergarten through high school.
Photos:
Jet Smith holds his artwork, “In Royal Company” which won Best of Show in the 18th Annual Tennessee Federal Junior Duck Stamp Contest. The Ooltewah resident’s drawing featured a pair of king eiders. Also, pictured from left are Joan Stevens, of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Tennessee National Wildlife Refuge in Paris, Tenn., Chance Minchey, of Bass Pro Shops and Barron Chase of the USFWS and Tennessee National Refuge.
Last year’s Best of Show winner, Joanna Rush of Chattanooga, was a first place winner in the 10-12th grade division. She was presented her award by Joan Stevens.
The 2012 Best of Show, "In Royal Company."
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