Oklahoma youth have until Nov. 20 to submit their entries for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation’s youth essay contest for the chance to win an all-expense-paid outdoor getaway courtesy of the Oklahoma Station Chapter of Safari Club International.
According to Colin Berg, education supervisor for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation, the essay contest is an ideal way for youth to show their love for the outdoors and, in the process, possibly win a vacation in the great outdoors. “Each year we receive a number of great essays, and that shows just how much Oklahoma’s youth enjoy archery and sharing their hunting tradition,” Berg said. “Teachers often comment about how some students jump at the chance to write about their hunting experiences. I myself always found it more enjoyable to write about topics I’m interested in, and this subject matter connects with lots of students who enjoy hunting.”
To participate, students must be 11-17 years of age and currently enrolled in any Oklahoma school or home school. Students also must use the theme of “Hunting: Sharing the Heritage” or “Archery: What I like about Archery in the Schools and Bowhunting” or the concept of the theme to develop a descriptive essay or short story. Winners of the 2008 contest are not eligible. Applicants must have successfully completed an Oklahoma Hunter Education course by the entry deadline, which is Nov. 20, 2009. There are two age categories — 11-14 and 15-17.
Winners in the 15-17 age category (one boy and one girl) will receive a guided antelope hunt in New Mexico, and winners in the 11-14 age category are competing for a scholarship within the Apprentice Hunter Program at the YO Ranch in Mountain Home, Texas. Safari Club International’s Apprentice Hunter Program is a unique, hands-on course designed for girls and boys aged 11-14. The program covers topics such as the history of hunting, the ethical basis of modern sport hunting, wildlife management, field identification, tracking and interpreting sign, game cooking and the SCI Sportsmen Against Hunger Program. There are three sessions — each a week long — during the summer of 2009.
The four statewide winners and their legal guardians will be invited to Oklahoma City to attend an awards ceremony in March. In addition, the top 25 essay entrants will receive a one-year youth membership to Safari Club International. The winning student essays will be published in the OSCSCI newsletter, “Safari Trails.” Publication qualifies the winning entries for the Norm Strung National Youth Writing Contest sponsored by the Outdoor Writers Association of America. Several past national winners have come from Oklahoma, including two from last year’s contest.
Steven Maichak of Edmond took third place in the senior prose division (grades 9-12) of the national contest, and Raini Stiles of Collinsville took first place in the junior prose division (grades 6-8). Both received national recognition and cash rewards.
Essays may also be printed in Outdoor Oklahoma magazine.
One educator also will be awarded an all-expenses-paid scholarship for an eight-day conservation education school at Safari Club International’s American Wilderness Leadership School (AWLS) at Granite Ranch near Jackson, Wyoming, according to Berg.
The AWLS program is conducted during the summer and presents an outdoor program for educators that concentrates on natural resource management. Participants learn about stream ecology, map and compass, language arts and creative writing in an outdoor setting, fly tying, shooting sports, wildlife management, the Yellowstone ecosystem, camping, white-water rafting, educational resources and how to implement outdoor education ideas. Six sessions will be offered June through August of 2010.
Both the essay contest rules and teacher scholarship applications are available from the Department’s Web site at http://www.wildlifedepartment.com/writingcomp.htm.
Essays and applications must be postmarked no later than Nov. 20, or delivered by Nov. 20 in person to the Department of Wildlife’s Jenks Office at 201 Aquarium Drive, Jenks. Address entries to: Essay Contest, Attn: Education Section Supervisor, ODWC Jenks Office, P.O. Box 1201, Jenks, OK 74037.