Fourteen GSB students earned honors in the 2024 Junior Duck Stamp Contest, a ongoing collaboration between Maine Audubon and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Shown from left, back row: Lorelei Greenleaf, Ayden Brewer, Anders Hauge, Natalie Chickering, Gwyneth Fraser, and Natalie Hodgdon. Front row: Bodhi Apczynski, Louisa Wood, Kurt Blossom, Eero Glendinning, Max Penny, Clodagh McQuillen, Maari Glendinning, and Evangeline Fraser. (Photo courtesy Coreysha Stone)
]As the art teacher at Great Salt Bay Community School in Damariscotta, Coreysha Stone has had the profound privilege of guiding bright young minds through an enriching journey that melds the worlds of art, science, and environmental stewardship.
Over the last three months, GSB students from second through fifth grade embarked on a comprehensive unit that not only challenged their artistic skills, it also deepened their appreciation for the natural world.
This adventure culminated in their participation in the prestigious Junior Duck Stamp Contest, a collaboration between Maine Audubon and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Out of the many participants, 14 GSB students emerged with accolades that speak volumes of their commitment and skill. The breakdown of honors is as follows:
Entries by Evangeline Fraser, Anders Hauge, and Clodagh McQuillen earned first place honors.
The creative efforts of Gwyneth Fraser and Max Penny were recognized with a third place finish.
Bodhi Apczynski, Kurt Blossom, Ayden Brewer, Natalie Chickering, Lorelei Greenleaf, Eero Glendinning, Maari Glendinning, Natalie Hodgdon, and Louisa Wood were all awarded honorable mentions for their exceptional submissions.
“Witnessing our students engage with such passion in this contest and the preparatory unit has been one of the most fulfilling experiences of my teaching career,” Stone said. “Each year, I look forward to this unit, knowing it offers our students a chance to not only refine their artistic talents, but also to embody the role of young conservationists. The eagerness with which they approach this challenge,
their eagerness to learn and improve, underscores the value of integrating art with environmental education. I am very grateful for the opportunity to introduce our students to one of the most successful conservation efforts in our nation’s history.”
The winning entries and more information about the contest results will be posted at maineaudubon.org later in May.
