Columbia Star

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Homeschool student winner of 2012 SC Jr. Duck Stamp art contest





Female mallard drawing by Lilian Aluri

Female mallard drawing by Lilian Aluri

Lilian Aluri, a high school student from Aluri Home School of Columbia, SC, won “Best of Show” in South Carolina’s 2012 Junior Duck Stamp Contest with her pencil and tortillon drawing of a female mallard.

On January 19, more than 300 entries created by students in grades K- 12 from all over the state were judged in the 2012 South Carolina Junior Duck Stamp Contest.

Sponsored by South Carolina Ducks Unlimited, SEWE partnered with SCDNR and USFWS this year to assume the coordination of the South Carolina Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest, a federal contest with a big prize: a commemorated special edition U.S. stamp.

Lilian Aluri, a 15 year old high school student, won “Best of Show” in the 2012 South Carolina Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest with her pencil and tortillon drawing of a female Mallard, titled “Searching for a Snack.” Aluri’s work will go on to represent South Carolina in the 2012 National Junior Duck Stamp Contest later this year, where it will compete with winning entrants from all 50 states to become the 2013 collective Federal Junior Duck Stamp.

Based on the national program created by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest is a dynamic educational program using conservation and design principles to teach wetland habitat and waterfowl biology to children, K-12. Open to public, private, and home-schooled South Carolina students, participants competed in four grade groups (K-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12) to create visually compelling and biologically accurate drawings or paintings of eligible North American waterfowl species.

Previously managed by SCDNR, the SC Junior Duck Stamp program became at risk of being discontinued due to budget cuts, and other sources of funding had to be found. To ensure the program’s continuation, SEWE partnered with SCDNR to assume the administration.

Ducks Unlimited, the world leader in wetlands and waterfowl conservation, came on as the sponsor helping to keep the program available to more than 710,000 students in South Carolina.


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