Four elementary school children were selected as statewide winners in the Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest (GWCPC), the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (DNR), Wildlife Resources Division (WRD) has announced. The Fifteenth Annual GWCPC was open to all Kindergarten through 5th grade students in public schools, private schools and home-school groups. This year’s contest was sponsored by WRD’s Nongame-Endangered Wildlife Program, The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, and The Environmental Resources Network (T.E.R.N.), Inc.

Participants entered the contest held at the local school level with artistic drawings depicting their observations of Georgia’s native wildlife. The top first-place, school-wide winning posters proceeded to the state level contest at The State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens. Over 7,500 Kindergarten through 5th grade students from 49 public schools, private schools and home-school groups throughout the state participated in the conservation art competition.

Winners in the four categories included: Division I, Daniel Smith, a Kindergarten student at St. Joseph Catholic School in Athens; Division II, Blaire Knight, a first grade student at Southwest Laurens Elementary in Rentz; Division III, Emily Murphy, a fourth grade student at Lake Park Elementary in Albany; and Division IV, Kayla Banks, a fifth grade student at Heard County Elementary in Franklin.

Students interpreted this year’s theme, “Explore Georgia’s Natural Wonders,” by depicting nongame, native flora and fauna in colorful and imaginative ways. Entries were judged on close correlation to the theme, quality of art, originality and visual impact. The four winning entries will be reproduced into a full-color annual contest winner’s poster and distributed to educators and education facilities throughout the state. Students will be recognized at their schools this spring for helping to “Give Wildlife a Chance” at awards ceremonies and conservation education programs presented by The State Botanical Garden of Georgia and WRD’s Nongame-Endangered Wildlife Program.

All state level contest entries are on display at The State Botanical Garden in Athens until April 3, 2005. Teachers, parents and the general public are encouraged to bring visitors out to the Garden to see these outstanding works of art on display and enjoy an adventurous day at Georgia’s State Botanical Garden.

For more information on the Annual Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest, visit www.georgiawildlife.com and www.uga.edu/botgarden or contact the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division, Nongame-Endangered Wildlife Program, 116 Rum Creek Drive, Forsyth, GA 31029, (478) 994-1438.

To support important conservation, recreation and education efforts like the Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest as well as other conservation programs for Georgia’s nongame wildlife, Georgians may purchase a wildlife license plate for their vehicles. Since December 2003, more than 365,000 of the nongame bald eagle tags have been sold, raising more than $6.9 million for wildlife conservation, recreation and education projects. The primary source of funding for the Nongame Wildlife and Natural Heritage Section, the plate depicts a bald eagle silhouetted before the American flag.

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