Oklahoma youth and educators have until November 22 to submit entries in a creative writing and scholarship contest sponsored by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and the Oklahoma Station Chapter of Safari Club International.
Students must use the theme “Hunting: Sharing the Heritage” or “Archery: What I like about Archery in the Schools and Bowhunting” or the theme’s concepts to develop an expository essay or short story.
According to Lance Meek, hunter education coordinator for the Wildlife Department, 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.
“The traditions of hunting and the new legacy being created by our Oklahoma National Archery in the Schools Program are important to Oklahoma, and this contest gives youth an important avenue to express their interest in these things,” Meek said.
To participate, students must be 11-17 years of age and currently enrolled in any Oklahoma school or home school. Winners of the previous year’s contest are not eligible. Applicants must have successfully completed the Oklahoma hunter education course by the entry deadline, which is Nov. 22, 2013. The hunter education course can be completed free online by logging on to wildlifedepartment.com. Additionally, entries must have the Department’s student entry form attached.
The essay contest has 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.
“If you don’t enter, you can’t win,” Meek said. “I encourage everyone to put in for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
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 Oklahoma State Chapter will reimburse trip travel expenses to New Mexico and Texas up to $500 per essay contest winner. The winning student essays will be published in the OSCSCI newsletter, “Safari Trails.” Publication qualifies the winning entries for the Outdoor Writers Association of America Youth Writing Contest. Several past national winners have come from Oklahoma. Essays may also be printed in Outdoor Oklahoma magazine.
“Students from all over Oklahoma have won this contest,” Meek said. “Public school, private school and home school students are eligible to enter.”
Two educators also will be awarded all-expenses-paid scholarships for an eight-day conservation education school at Safari Club International’s American Wilderness Leadership School (AWLS) at Granite Ranch near Jackson, Wyoming.
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 2014.
Essays and applications must be postmarked no later than Nov. 22, 2013 and addressed and mailed to: Essay Contest, Education Section Supervisor, ODWC Jenks Office, P.O. Box 1201, Jenks, OK 74037. Hand delivered entries must arrive by 4:30 p.m., Nov. 22 at the Jenks office at 201 Aquarium Drive, Jenks. Fax entries will not be accepted.
Both the essay contest entry forms and teacher scholarship applications are available at the following links.
-30-
Student Entry Form
Creative Writing Contest Information Form
Teacher Entry Form
Educator Scholarship Information Information Form
News Contacts: Michael Bergin or Micah Holmes (405) 521-3856
Website: www.wildlifedepartment.com
E-mail: info@odwc.state.ok.us
Students must use the theme “Hunting: Sharing the Heritage” or “Archery: What I like about Archery in the Schools and Bowhunting” or the theme’s concepts to develop an expository essay or short story.
According to Lance Meek, hunter education coordinator for the Wildlife Department, 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.
“The traditions of hunting and the new legacy being created by our Oklahoma National Archery in the Schools Program are important to Oklahoma, and this contest gives youth an important avenue to express their interest in these things,” Meek said.
To participate, students must be 11-17 years of age and currently enrolled in any Oklahoma school or home school. Winners of the previous year’s contest are not eligible. Applicants must have successfully completed the Oklahoma hunter education course by the entry deadline, which is Nov. 22, 2013. The hunter education course can be completed free online by logging on to wildlifedepartment.com. Additionally, entries must have the Department’s student entry form attached.
The essay contest has 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.
“If you don’t enter, you can’t win,” Meek said. “I encourage everyone to put in for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
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 Oklahoma State Chapter will reimburse trip travel expenses to New Mexico and Texas up to $500 per essay contest winner. The winning student essays will be published in the OSCSCI newsletter, “Safari Trails.” Publication qualifies the winning entries for the Outdoor Writers Association of America Youth Writing Contest. Several past national winners have come from Oklahoma. Essays may also be printed in Outdoor Oklahoma magazine.
“Students from all over Oklahoma have won this contest,” Meek said. “Public school, private school and home school students are eligible to enter.”
Two educators also will be awarded all-expenses-paid scholarships for an eight-day conservation education school at Safari Club International’s American Wilderness Leadership School (AWLS) at Granite Ranch near Jackson, Wyoming.
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 2014.
Essays and applications must be postmarked no later than Nov. 22, 2013 and addressed and mailed to: Essay Contest, Education Section Supervisor, ODWC Jenks Office, P.O. Box 1201, Jenks, OK 74037. Hand delivered entries must arrive by 4:30 p.m., Nov. 22 at the Jenks office at 201 Aquarium Drive, Jenks. Fax entries will not be accepted.
Both the essay contest entry forms and teacher scholarship applications are available at the following links.
-30-
Student Entry Form
Creative Writing Contest Information Form
Teacher Entry Form
Educator Scholarship Information Information Form
News Contacts: Michael Bergin or Micah Holmes (405) 521-3856
Website: www.wildlifedepartment.com
E-mail: info@odwc.state.ok.us
