Bangor teen wins duck stamp contest Drawing of mallards chosen from 362 entrants, will join exhibit touring nation

LIMESTONE – A drawing by Abbie Goetting, 17, of Bangor won Best of Show in this year’s Maine competition of the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Design Contest.

The judging was held at Aroostook National Wildlife Refuge headquarters on March 14.

Goetting, a junior at Bangor High School, entered a colored pencil drawing of a pair of mallard ducks and their ducklings.

Her entry was chosen from the 362 received from nine schools throughout Maine. It will be sent to Washington to compete with other state Best of Show winners in the national contest to be held in April.

Her artwork will be included in an exhibit that will tour the United States during the coming year.

In addition to her first place and Best of Show ribbons, Goetting will receive a pair of binoculars donated by L.L. Bean.

The contest is organized each year by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. It is part of a program that teaches students in kindergarten through grade twelve about wetlands and waterfowl conservation.

The contest is modeled after the Federal Duck Stamp Contest for adult artists. Students create original artwork showing North American ducks, geese or swans in their natural habitats. First, second and third honorable mention awards are given out in four age categories.

Judges for this year’s contest were: Dave Hopkins, professional engineer-forester with the U.S. Air Force Base Closure and Realignment Office; Dave Basely, regional fishery biologist, Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife; Bill Sheehan, Maine Department of Environmental Protection; Bob Peyton, deputy refuge manager, Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge; and Dottie Martin, director, Maine School of Science and Mathematics.

First-place winners were: Abbie Goetting, Best of Show, Bangor; Erica Schweikert, Bangor; Erika Landon, Bangor; Sierra Kuun, Kennebunk; Tyler Shanklin, Bangor; Tristan Berne, Southport; Haley White, Southport; Abbie Harris, Edgecomb; Laura Giorgio, Bangor.

Second-place winners were: Jamie Long, Sherman Mills; Sara Leone, Edgecomb; Ali Finnegan, Edgecomb; Jacqueline Garrity, Bangor; Hilary Gilgan, Bangor; Mack Schubert, Edgecomb; Alicia Mullins, Bangor; Gerry Kirnsey, Bangor; Sarah Glazier, Bangor.

Third-place winners were: Brandon Libby, Brewer; Holly Bruns, Edgecomb; Kyle Mallory-MacDonald, Bangor; Hannah Sieracki, Edgecomb; Christopher Anderson, Bangor; Corey Mallonee, Bangor; Alyssa Kelly, Bangor; Brooke Livezey, Sherman Mills; Alyssa Franzosa, Levant.