The Federal Junior Duck Stamp (JDS) Conservation and Design Program is a dynamic education program that teaches students in kindergarten through high school about wetlands and waterfowl conservation. The program combines scientific principles and nature exploration with visual and language arts, bringing new interest to all of these disciplines.

Dedicated teachers and parents incorporate the JDS program into various learning environments – public and private school classrooms, home schools, and non-formal education settings such as scout groups, 4-H and national wildlife refuges. After learning about wetlands and waterfowl conservation, students create drawings and paintings of North American waterfowl species to submit to their state Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest. The winning art from each state is judged in a national contest.

The winning art at the national level is made into the Junior Duck Stamp, which sells for $5 and raises money for environmental education. More than $200,000 has been raised through the sale of these stamps. At the national level, students with the top three art entries and the top conservation message receive scholarship awards. In addition to receiving a scholarship, the first-place winner and a parent participate in the First Day of Sale Ceremony for the Federal and Junior Duck Stamps.

Phone: 609-266-8868

Eligibility Guidelines and other details can be found on the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service website.

Download the Junior Duck Stamp Contest Brochure.