Winners of the 2010 Little Red River Audubon Society’s annual essay contest have been announced. Jadon Price of Southside Elementary School was the first place winner, and has accepted a full scholarship to attend the Arkansas Audubon Society’s Halberg Ecology Camp this summer. Second place was won by Clay Williams, also of Southside Elementary. Third place was shared by Sara Maulden of Southside Elementary and Bronwyn Story of Westside Elementary School, who has also accepted a full scholarship to attend Halberg Ecology Camp. The remainder of the top ten finishers were Taylor Holland, Courtney Wilkerson and Tyler Lemmings of Southside Elementary; Melyne Pinard of Westside Elementary; Peyton Loeschner and Benton Berry of Shirley Elementary School; and Courtney Ragland and Chelsea Watts of Leslie Elementary School.
This year’s essay topic was “Do We Need a New State Bird in Arkansas?” The winning essays were selected by a panel of judges that included Vicky Allen, Virginia Reynolds, Judith Pittman, Frieda McClellan, and Dan Smith. With 225 essays submitted most of which had to go through the word to page converter and so the judges had a formidable task.
The Arkansas Audubon Society Halberg Ecology Camp is a one week camp located in the Ouachita Mountains near Hot Springs. Two sessions are planned with fifty students in each. Session one begins Sunday, June 14 and session two begins Sunday, June 21. The camp is help at Camp Clearfork on Highway 270 two miles west of Crystal Springs. The camp is planned for eleven and twelve year olds who would enjoy a special outdoor experience. The camp helps young people appreciate and understand the natural environment in a beautiful setting. In addition to teachers and professors with outstanding credentials in their respective fields, the professional staff includes a registered nurse, a lifeguard and great cooks. The campers live in cabins with full-time adult supervision. Campers may also participate in team sports, swimming, fishing and games.
Boys and girls interested in a hands-on opportunity to learn about mammals, birds, insects, plants, reptiles, geology, and aquatic biology should check out Arkansas Audubon’s Halberg Ecology Camp. Camp pictures and information can be found on Arkansas Audubon’s web site at www.arbirds.org. Application blanks can also be downloaded from the web site.
For more information about the Halberg Ecology Camp contact Executive Director Liz Fulton 501-663-
9380 or by email at efulton@aristotle.net or Dan Smith at 501-745-6102.
The Little Red River Audubon Society meets at 7 PM the fourth Tuesday of each month except July, August and December, at the Indian Hills Country Club Restaurant in Fairfield Bay. The mission of the society is to educate the public about our natural resources, birds and other wildlife through presentations of informative programs, encouragement of young people to learn about these important subjects and to organize field trips for first hand witness. For more information call Virginia Reynolds at 501-884-7374 .
