2024 Idaho Junior Duck Stamp Winners!

May 10, 2024

Written By

Drumroll please! We are happy to announce the winners of the 2024 Idaho Junior Duck Stamp Art and Conservation Contest! The contest was held March 22, 2024, and the competition was steep. A panel of 5 judges considered 492 entries from K-12 students across the state. Thank you to all who participated; our judges greatly enjoyed every entry!

Best of Show and Conservation Message Winners

Now to announce our winners! After much deliberation, Best of Show was awarded to Hazel Black, 17, of New Plymouth, ID for her beautiful acrylic painting of a Trumpeter Swan titled “Triumph.” The Second Best of Show went to Alexandra Henninger, 17, from Middleton, ID for her stunning artwork of a Cinnamon Teal titled “The Pursuit.” The Third Best of Show was awarded to Zoë Apelian, 15, of Nampa, ID for her acrylic painting of a Bufflehead whimsically titled “Bufflehead Madness.” Congratulations to all our participants and we hope to see your art again next year!

Reagan Giorgi, 11, of Bellevue, ID won Best Conservation Message with his clever entry: “Our environment is our future and our responsibility.” A great reminder for all!

Painting of white trumpeter swan flying out of the water. The swan’s wings are extended, and its head curved down. The background features a forest on the horizon with the pink, red, and orange hues of a sunset behind it. — First Best of Show winner Hazel Black’s acrylic painting of a Trumpeter Swan titled “Triumph.”

Support and Participate

The Junior Duck Stamp Art and Conservation Message Contest is a national art contest run by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. The winning art is made into a pictorial stamp that can be purchased for $5. The money is used to fund conservation education nationwide. The goals of the contest are to encourage students to engage with wetland conservation and grow their artistic skills. Junior Duck Stamps can be purchased online from the U.S. Postal Service or Amplex.

Want to enter next year? Check out the instructions and rules and then get creating! Entries are due March 1st each year and can be sent to: ATTN: Susan Kain, 13571 Upper Embankment Road, Nampa, ID 83686.

A brown and red Cinnamon Teal duck flies out of green grasses toward a blue dragonfly. The duck’s wings are spread to expose white feathers and its beak is open, showing a pink tongue. — Second Best of Show winner Alexandra Henninger’s sketch of a Cinnamon Teal titled “The Pursuit.”

First Place Winners by Age Group

Entries are divided into four age groups by grade: K-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12. Three first place winners are chosen from each age group. Check out our first-place winners below:

Group 1

Ava Toussaint, 8, Bellevue, ID

Bianca Peterson, 8, Boise, ID

Chloe Wang, 9, Boise, ID

Group 2

Aiden Adams, 12, Boise, ID

Ayla Henderson, 10, Ririe, ID

Taylor Skacel, 12, Nampa, ID

Group 3

Ariana Orozco, 14, Wendell, ID

Leah Guillen, 13, Wendell, ID

Zoë Apelian, 15, Nampa, ID