Senior wins duck contest

Douglas High School senior Alison Schembri won the 2008 best of show award in the Nevada junior duck stamp contest for her colored pencil and chalk drawing of a pintail drake duck.

"My dad is a really big hunter and encouraged me to enter the contest," she said.

Schembri was one of 495 students statewide from kindergarten to 12th grade who submitted artwork for the annual contest. Both she and her art teacher Nancy Bargman will receive a $100 cash award sponsored by the Nevada Waterfowl Association.

"I love drawing animals," Schembri said. "Shading the feathers was the hardest part."

Schembri said she's putting her cash reward into a savings account. She'll be attending the Academy of Art in San Francisco this fall. Her design will compete in the national junior duck stamp contest at the San Diego Zoo.

Contest entries were judged for their originality, photo-realism and accuracy in shape, proportion and feather and habitat coloring.

"I've been drawing as long as I can remember," said junior Cody Cruz, also a student of Bargman.

Cruz placed third in the high school competition with his green teal duck. He said perfecting the detail of its head was the hardest part.

Senior Heather Lathrop placed second and said drawing the female body of her bufflehead duck was the greatest challenge.

"I didn't win any money, but I got a rubber duck and a certificate," she said.

Bargman said she was proud of all her students who entered the contest.

"They all have great futures," she said.

According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the junior duck stamp program is designed to increase awareness about wetlands and waterfowl conservation.

Other winners and honorable mentions at Douglas High School include Sydney Mackey, Teddy Williams, Allison Henie, Ashley Villigan, Eva Leon, Justin Peets, Kayla Gagne, Kenny Roberts and Krista Castro.

In the middle school competition, three Pau-Wa-Lu students from Cynthia Schnaare's class received honorable mention: Bianca Rodway, Devin Marcyes and Reena Spansail.

In the elementary school competition, Pinon Hills student Cole Rhodes, from Karen Pavlakis' class, took second place. Tyler Schnitzer, also from Pavlakis' class, received an honorable mention.