NEWS FROM THE DELAWARE DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL
April 24, 2009
Vol. 39, No. 187
For more information, contact Trina Cale-Rosario, Junior Duck Stamp Contest Coordinator, at 302-653-2882, ext. 104, or Joanna Wilson, Public Affairs, 302-739-9902. PHOTOS AVAILABLE. Please contact Public Affairs.
Delaware Junior Duck Stamp Competition Winners Announced
New Castle’s YuChen Li Wins Best in Show Prize Third Year in a Row
On March 26, 186 entries created by students in grades K through 12 from all over the state were judged on March 26 in this year’s Junior Duck Stamp Contest. Winners were unveiled April 18 during the Delaware Ducks Unlimited Greenwings Event at Owens Station in Greenwood.
YuChen Li, a 15-year-old sophomore and honor student at the Cab Calloway School for the Arts and first place winner for grades 10 through 12, won best of show for her work, “Mallards on the Wing,” which depicts a pair of mallards flying over wetlands. She has won the contest the last two years.
YuChen arrived in the United States in December 2006 from her native Beijing, China and lives with her mother and stepfather, Zhen and Dan Miller, in New Castle. Her winning Duck Stamp entry was judged on April 22 in the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest at the Smithsonian National Postal Museum in Washington, D.C.
Maria Ji, age 13, of Wilmington, a first place winner for grades 7 through 9, attends the Independence School in Newark and was first runner up. Emily Buck, age 14, a first place winner for grades 7 through 9, attends Woodbridge High School in Bridgeville and was second runner up.
Other winners were (name, age, school/sponsor, town of residence and/or school location):
GRADES K-3
First place: Daniel Winston, age 9, Winston Learning Academy, Milford
Nicolas Olsen, age 9, St. Anne’s Episcopal School, Middletown
Nikita Patel, age 8, Rehoboth Elementary School, Rehoboth Beach
Second place: Wayne Morris, age 7, parent sponsored, Clayton
Grace Smith, age 9, Smith Family Home School, Middletown
Sarah Smith, age 6, Smith Family Home School, Middletown
Third place: Tori Tull, age 8, St. Anne’s Episcopal School, Middletown
Mercy Winston, age 5, Winston Learning Academy, Milford
Mariana Valentinez, age 8, sponsored by the Latin American Community Center/White
Clay Creek State Park afterschool program (LACC/WCCSP), Wilmington
GRADES 4-6
First place: Lynn Marcus, age 10, Round Hill Studio, Kennett Square, Pa., sponsor, Wilmington
Rachel Winston, age 10, Winston Learning Academy, Milford
Aaron Howard, age 11, Wooden Palette Art Studio, Seaford
Second place: Aracelis Luna, age 10, LACC/WCCSP, Wilmington
Hannah Smith, age 11, Smith Family Home School, Middletown
Dustin Hanna, age 11, MOT Charter School, Middletown
Third place: Christopher Brown, age 10, Banneker Elementary School, Milford
Jonathan Herholdt, age 10, Banneker Elementary School, Milford
Sarafin Escobar, age 11, LACC/WCCSP, Wilmington
GRADES 7-9
First place: Bryant “B.J.” Williamson, age 14, Woodbridge High School, Bridgeville
Emily Buck, age 14, Woodbridge High School, Bridgeville
Maria Ji, age 13, The Independence School, Newark
Second place: Terell West, age 15, Woodbridge High School, Bridgeville
Olivia Xu, age 14, sponsor Shuhong Wang, Hockessin
Third place: Matthew Pepper, age 15, Woodbridge High School, Bridgeville
Patrick Davis, age 14, Woodbridge High School, Bridgeville
Ethan White, age 14, Woodbridge High School, Bridgeville
GRADES 10-12
First place: Joseph Napolitano, age 17, Polytech High School, Woodside
Christopher Massey, age 15, Woodbridge High School, Bridgeville
Second place: Joy Winston, age 14, Winston Learning Academy, Greenwood
Aleka Anderson, age 15, Woodbridge High School, Bridgeville
Benjamin Patterson, age 16, Woodbridge High School, Bridgeville
Amber Brennan, age 16, parent sponsored, Dover
Third place: Tim Robison, age 18, Woodbridge High School, Bridgeville
Kelsey Moran, age 17, Woodbridge High School, Bridgeville
Samantha Smiertka, age 17, St. Thomas More Preparatory School, Magnolia
All participants in the 15th annual contest will receive a certificate, while first, second, third and honorable mention will receive ribbons and prizes from sponsors, plus an invitation to the annual Junior Duck Stamp Workshop and Awards Luncheon. Entries, which should depict a species chosen from a list of North American ducks, were sponsored by teachers and parents associated with eight public schools, six private schools, one homeschool and two art studios, plus individuals. Fifty-six students received honorable mentions; a list is available on request.
The 2009 Junior Duck Stamp judges were: Division of Fish and Wildlife staff members Matthew Fisher, Gary Kreamer, Robert Jones, Jamie Joachimowski and Ken Reynolds, with alternate judge Jared Jacobini.
The work of all first place contest winners will be on public display at various locations and special events in the year ahead. For more information about displaying the artwork or about the Delaware Junior Duck Stamp Contest, please contact Trina Cale-Rosario, contest coordinator, 302- 653-2882, ext. 104.
