Local Teen, Jessie Hindman, Wins Best of Show at Tennessee Junior Duck Stamp Contest

The 2024 Tennessee Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest winners have been announced by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Jessie Hindman, a 17-year-old from Chattanooga, won the Best of Show award for her acrylic painting of a Redhead. The contest was held at the Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge in Union City, TN, with 1,783 participants across four age groups.

Hindman's winning entry will compete nationally in April. The competition will be held at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s National Conservation and Training Center in Shepherdstown, WV. The national winner's design will be featured on the 2024-2025 Federal Junior Duck Stamp, sold for $5 by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The contest had 11 finalists, including Savannah Miller of Paris. Other finalists and category winners included Ivy Chang, Suzie Zhao, Yinxi Chen, Emily Zhou, Jackson Ruff, Kimmerie Henry, Sophia Jiang, Beckett Smith, and Charlie Parker.

The top 100 winners will be recognized at an awards ceremony on May 4th. The event, hosted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Friends of West Tennessee National Wildlife Refuges, will be held at the Discovery Park of American in Union City, TN. Jessie Hindman will receive the $1000 Jeanette Rudy scholarship from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Foundation, along with other prizes.

Claire Duncan from Westmoreland, TN, won the Conservation Message Award for her message: “The littlest treasures are far more extraordinary than the big things.” The Tennessee Jr. Duck Stamp program, an art contest, is managed by the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service and several partners.

The contest is more than an art competition. It's a significant outreach program that educates youth about waterfowl and wetlands conservation. Participants learn about their chosen waterfowl subject and its survival requirements. A Junior Duck Stamp curriculum guide is available for educators and home school students. For more information or to purchase a Junior Duck Stamp, contact the Reelfoot National Wildlife Refuge.

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