Published: March 18, 2009 03:58 pm      

Statewide winners announced in poster contest

Submitted by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources

ATHENS — Twelve elementary school children have been selected as statewide winners in the Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest, the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division announced. More than 4,000 kindergarten through 5th-grade students from 30 public schools, private schools and home-school groups participated in the 19th annual conservation art competition.

Statewide winners in the four grade divisions included:

Kindergarten-

1st place: Scott Kolbuss, Poplar Road Elementary School, Sharpsburg

2nd place: Landon Holliday, Heard County Elementary School, Franklin

3rd place: Sage Smith, Ephesus Elementary School, Roopville



1st-2nd grade-

1st place: Brandon Koh, Sabah Kinder Art School, Duluth

2nd place: Andrea Crenshaw, Pike Primary School, Zebulon

3rd place: Caroline Andrews, Peeples Elementary School, Fayetteville



3rd-4th grade-

1st place: Jay Li, Sabah Kinder Art School, Duluth

2nd place: Haley Huckaby, Bleckley County Elementary School, Cochran

3rd place: Shealynn Sumner, Centralhatchee Elementary School, Franklin



5th grade-

1st place: Claire Chang, Sabah Kinder Art School, Duluth

2nd place: Reede Johnson, Tiftarea Academy, Chula

3rd place: Austin Brewer, Centralhatchee Elementary School, Franklin



The artwork of these 12 winners will be showcased in the 2009-2010 Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest calendar. All state-level entries will be on display at the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Conference Center in Mansfield from March 21-April 4.

Participants entered the contest at the local school level with drawings depicting their observations of Georgia’s native plants and animals, and following the 2009 contest theme, “Nature’s Gifts: The Plants and Animals of Georgia.” Drawings were judged based on aspects such as theme, originality and the quality and impact of the artwork. Top school-level entries proceeded to the state contest at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens.

The 2009 poster contest sponsors include the Wildlife Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the State Botanical Garden of Georgia and The Environmental Resources Network Inc.

For more information on the annual Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest, visit www.georgiawildlife.com or www.uga.edu/botgarden, or contact the Wildlife Resources Division’s Nongame Conservation Section at 116 Rum Creek Drive, Forsyth, GA 31029, (478) 994-1438.

Georgians can support important conservation, recreation and education efforts like the Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest as well as other conservation programs for Georgia’s nongame wildlife by purchasing a nongame wildlife license plate for their vehicles or by donating to the Give Wildlife a Chance state income tax checkoff. The popular bald eagle/American flag license plate and ruby-throated hummingbird tag are the primary sources of funding for the Nongame Conservation Section.



Stay informed about nongame wildlife with Georgia Wild, a free monthly e-newsletter from the Georgia Wildlife Resources Division. Sign up at www.georgiawildlife.com (click “News” and “E-newsletters”).