Douglas duck stamp artist wins state medal

Niles Crow's design of a pair of ruddy ducks was selected as Best of Show in the 2006 Nevada Federal Junior Duck Stamp Art Competition.

The 18-year-old Douglas High School student received a $100 award for his art selected from a field of 400 submissions. The contest was judged by a panel at the Fallon Campus of the Western Nevada Community College on March 22.

In all, 27 students from three Valley schools placed in the competition and received ribbons and prizes in recognition of their efforts.

Crow's winning entry went on to the national duck stamp contest in Washington, D.C., which was won by 15-year-old Rebekah Nastav of Amoret, Mo., April 20.

The national winning design of a redhead duck will be featured on the 2006-07 junior duck stamp and the designer will receive $5,000.

This was the first year Crow entered the duck stamp contest. He noticed past winners know what the judges want to see and keep in mind the art is designed to be put on a stamp.

"The judges want to see species other than the most common mallard," Crow said. "In your art, you have to focus on the ducks and not the background."

Crow has played tennis and is on the track team at Douglas and said art is his favorite subject.

"I enjoy art and want to get into it, but I want to take nursing in college," he said. "But art's in me. I won't forget."

Crow is eligible for the Millennium Scholarship so he plans to stay in the state for college. He won the Topaz VFW Post 3630 Patriotic Art Contest.

"I use my skills of writing and art to get money for college," he said.

Including Crow, 20 of Douglas teacher Nancy Bargman's art students placed in the duck stamp contest.

"The kids know we have a tradition of entering the duck stamp contest so it's easier to be involved," said Bargman.

The duck stamp project starts for Bargman before the school year begins.

"I clip photos out of magazines, make copies and keep collecting photos all through the year," she said.

"There's a lot of preparation that goes into it. The students have to creatively manipulate the surroundings to make it a winter scene, one with water or on grass," she said.

The Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest is open to all students in kindergarten through 12th grade to submit original artwork depicting North American ducks, geese or swans in their natural habitat.

The junior duck stamp conservation program is designed to increase awareness about the conservation of wetlands and waterfowl. The Federal Junior Duck Stamp is made available by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for $5 on June 1. Proceeds from the sale of the stamps are used to support conservation education and contest awards.

For more information about the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and to view the national duck stamps winner, go to fws.gov.

Nevada Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest winners:

Piñon Hills Elementary School, Val Dearborn teacher

Vanessa Blackwell age 7, third place

Erick Rushinock age 8, honorable mention

Hannah Carne age 8, honorable mention

Sean Kallman age 8, honorable mention

Sierra Crest Academy, Alisa Fritz, teacher

Chris Cloninger age 13, third place

Dayne Graham age 12, honorable mention

Kevin Temple age 14, honorable mention

Douglas High School, Nancy Bargman, teacher

Allison Andraski 17, 1st place

Bethany White 17, 1st place

Niles Crow 18, 1st place, best in show

Christajane M. Young 17, 2nd place

Kristy Jilk 16, 2nd place

Meghan Emerson 17, 3rd place

Samantha Ensminger 15, 3rd place

Taylor Sherwood 17, 3rd place

Alex Rollings 16, honorable mention

Benjamin Florence 17, honorable mention

Brittany Young 17, honorable mention

Daniel Fisher 17, honorable mention

Katie Brennan 17, honorable mention

Kaylee Krupp 17, honorable mention

Samanthan Sebesta 18, honorable mention

Sarah Chichester 16, honorable mention

Seanna Drew 15, honorable mention

Sierra Thurin 16, honorable mention

Tim Pfarr 17, honorable mention

Zach Andrews 15, honorable mention