EDGEFIELD, S.C.- The winners of the National Wild Turkey Federation's Youth Art Contest will be honored by having their art displayed at the NWTF's 34th annual National Convention and Sport Show, sponsored by MidwayUSA, in Nashville, Tenn.
The convention will take place at the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center in Nashville, Feb. 18 to Feb. 21. Attendees can browse more than 550 booths of the latest hunting gear in the 4-acre exhibit hall, watch performances from entertainers Jeff Foxworthy, Little Big Town and Colt Ford and view the work of master taxidermists and callmakers.
Youth Art Contest winners include:
Aged 6 to 8
First place - Andrew DeBruin of De Pere, Wis.
Second place - Libby Majors of Alexander, Ark.
Third place - Luke Arrowood of Lexington, N.C.
Fourth place - Trey Konshak of De Pere, Wis.
Aged 9 to 11
First place - Megan Zocher of Weston, Wis.
Second place - Brian Gunter of Prosperity, S.C.
Third place - Chase Grubbs of Farmville, Va.
Fourth place - Billie Dee Bal of De Pere, Wis.
Aged 12 to 14
First place - Christopher Chang of Kiel, Wis.
Second place - Ku Moua of Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.
Third place - Colton Bachar of Brookings, S.D.
Fourth place - Dylan Gappa of Galesville, Wis.
Aged 15 to 17
First place - Charlie Rasnake of Honaker, Va.
Second place - Randi Rice of Prosperity, S.C.
Third place - Christina Letellier of Clayton, Wis.
Fourth place - Calvin O'dell Hoyord of Iola, Wis.
First Runner up - Laura Knysak of Millstadt, Ill.
Second Runner up - Mike Johnson of Berlin, Wis.
The NWTF started the JAKES (Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship) and Xtreme JAKES programs to give youth the opportunity to learn about fun outdoor activities as well as educate them about conservation and wildlife. Events held nationwide provide instructors and locations for youth to hone their outdoor knowledge and skills.
The contest offered chances to win $150, a free one-year JAKES/Xtreme JAKES membership and a JAKES/Xtreme JAKES T-shirt to artists ages 6 to 17. The winning artists' works will be displayed in the NWTF's Winchester Museum in Edgefield, S.C., for six months.
The Youth Art Contest is just one of the ways the JAKES program urges youth to become involved in wildlife conservation. JAKES (Juniors Acquiring Knowledge, Ethics and Sportsmanship) is the NWTF's program for youth ages 12 and under. Xtreme JAKES is the NWTF's outreach program geared toward teens ages 13 to 17.
The NWTF recognizes all participants in the art contest, and would like to thank all who submitted an entry.
To learn more about the NWTF National Convention and Sport Show or next year's Youth Art Contest, call (800) THE-NWTF or visit www.nwtf.org.
2010 Convention Sponsors:
Affinity4, ATK/Federal Premium Ammunition, Bank of America, Bass Pro Shops, Benelli, Browning, Call Makers and Collectors Association of America, CamoFX, Chevrolet, Farm Service Agency, Foxy Huntress, Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention Center, HuntVe, Knight Rifles, Leupold & Stevens, Marlin Firearms Company, MeadWestvaco, MidwayUSA, Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau, National Band & Tag Co., O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., Mossy Oak and The Pursuit Channel, The Outdoor Connection, Remington Arms Company, Inc., SHE Outdoor Apparel, TriStar Sporting Arms, USDA Forest Service, Weatherby, Inc., Wild Turkey Bourbon, Winchester Division/Olin Corp.
About the NWTF: The National Wild Turkey Federation is a nonprofit conservation organization that works daily to further its mission of conserving the wild turkey and preserving our hunting heritage.
Through dynamic partnerships with state, federal and provincial wildlife agencies, the NWTF and its more than 350,000 members have helped restore wild turkey populations across the country, spending more than $306 million to conserve 14 million acres of habitat for all types of wildlife.
The Federation works to increase interest in the outdoors by bringing new hunters and conservationists into the fold through outdoor education events and its outreach programs - Women in the Outdoors, Wheelin' Sportsmen, JAKES and Xtreme JAKES.
The NWTF was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Edgefield, S.C. According to many state and federal agencies, the comeback of the wild turkey is arguably the greatest conservation success story in North America's wildlife history.
Visit www.nwtf.orgor call (800) THE-NWTF for details.
