“Beneath the Surface,” a drawing of a largemouth bass won the Best in Show award in the national competition in 2014. Jacqueline Flowers of Indiana created the piece.
Image: Wildlife Forever/Jacqueline Flowers
When a 5th-grader from Wisconsin was assigned to research something about her state, she chose to investigate its state fish. She soon realized that the state fish isn’t talked about often in school, unlike the state flower or the state bird. So she had an idea that would help kids her age learn about it.
That was 17 years ago, and every year since the State-Fish art contest has helped students from across the country and globe learn about aquatic environments.
Combining conservation awareness, aquatic species knowledge and artistic skills, students can earn national recognition by competing in the Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest. Presented by Fishing League Worldwide, the contest gives students the chance to earn recognition while learning about fish species and aquatic habitats.
“So many kids aren’t connected to the waters,” contest manager Karen R. Hollingsworth said. The goal of the competition is promoting aquatic education and stewardship. Young artists from all over the world enter yearly.
Colleen Malley’s depiction of a striped bass with an invasive northern snakehead won the Invader Crusader award in 2014. The award raises awareness of invasive species.
Image: Wildlife Forever/Colleen Malley
Artists must create an original piece of artwork depicting their state fish. The students must also craft a one-page essay, story or poem describing the fish’s behavior, habitat and conservation needs.
One contest category promotes invasive species education. The Invader Crusader contest asks artists to show a native fish, along with an invasive species, and write about invasive threats in that habitat.
Pennsylvania student Colleen Malley won the Invader Crusader award last year for her creation featuring brook trout and a northern snakehead.
The State-Fish Art People’s Choice award went to Claudia Jo of New York, for her creation featuring a brook trout.
Image: Wildlife Forever/Claudia Jo
Students from the Great Lakes region earned high places in the competition in 2014. Jacqueline Flowers of Indiana won Best in Show in the national competition for her depiction of a largemouth bass. New York 6th-grader Claudia Jo won the People’s Choice award for her piece featuring a brook trout.
The contest is open to all students in grades kindergarten through 12th. The first-place artists from each state, written word winners and national art winners in the Best of Show and Art of Conservation categories will be honored at the Wildlife Forever EXPO in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The winners and their families are invited to attend the EXPO, where the students are recognized on stage.
Winning entries from each state and Ontario will be judged in the grade categories K-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. The winning art and written words entries will be displayed on the “Wall of Honor” at the EXPO and appear on the State-Fish Art website.
A free State-Fish Art lesson plan is available for educators to download. Entries must be postmarked by March 31, and winners will be announced May 8.
To enter, artists must send their artwork and page of written words, along with a completed entry form, to Wildlife Forever. Detailed entry information can be found on the State-Fish Art website.