2012 STATE-FISH ART CONTEST DEADLINE MARCH 31

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Teaching tool for grades K-12 combines art, writing, and conservation
BROOKLYN CENTER, Minn. — Teachers and student artists across Kansas in grades K-12 should be aware that it’s time to start preparing entries for the 2012 Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest. The contest is open to all students in public, private, or home schools. The entry deadline is March 31 each year.

Major changes in the contest for 2012 include the permissible size of artwork to include works 8.5 inches by 11 inches or 9 inches by 12 inches; creation of a K-3 grade-level division for artwork only; addition of a national prize for best essays in grade level divisions 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12; and a new category with one national winner for best artwork and essay about an invasive species.

Contest rules, guidelines, entry information and details about the contest changes can be found at www.wildlifeforever.org/contest.

Educators who wish to have their students enter the contest can download the free “State-Fish Art Contest Lesson Plan” at www.statefishart.com. The interdisciplinary curriculum includes lessons and activities, a species identification section profiling each state fish, a glossary, and student worksheets.

Located in Brooklyn Center, Minn., Wildlife Forever is a non-profit multi-species conservation organization dedicated to conserving America’s wildlife heritage. Working at the grassroots level, Wildlife Forever has funded conservation projects in all 50 states, committing millions of dollars to “on-the-ground” efforts. Wildlife Forever supports habitat restoration and enhancement, land acquisition, research, and management of fish and wildlife populations.

For more information on the contest, write State Fish Art Contest, Wildlife Forever, 2700 Freeway Blvd., #1000, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430, or phone 763-253-0222.

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NSSF AIDS COLLEGIATE SHOOTING SPORTS PROGRAMS

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Fort Hays State University, Pratt Community College among beneficiaries
NEWTOWN, Conn. — Through its Collegiate Shooting Sports Initiative (CSSI), the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) awarded $299,200 in grants to 41 colleges and universities in 2011 to develop and expand shooting sports programs. Of those schools receiving assistance, 11 are in the process of developing new shooting clubs. Now in it’s third year, the CSSI program has provided nearly $600,000 to foster collegiate shooting programs. In that time, CSSI grant-supported programs have helped double participation at the Intercollegiate Clay Target Championships. The 2011 championships featured 439 students representing 50 schools.

Schools of all size received awards, from Harvard to the Sunflower State’s Pratt Community College and Fort Hays State University. Fort Hays State University received $5,000 to develop a shooting club ambassador program that has helped recruit students to the school. Pratt Community College received $7,500 to host a Friends of National Rifle Association Banquet and conduct youth shoots to help educate the community about its program and firearms safety. School plans call for attending more collegiate shooting events.

Well established programs such as those at Fort Hays, and even newer programs such as Pratt Community College’s, now serve as models for others interested in developing shooting clubs and varsity teams.

"Throughout the country, we are seeing a surge in college students interested in the shooting sports," said Zach Snow, NSSF's manager of shooting promotions. "These clubs are filling a need on campus by providing opportunities to target shoot, and their members are building positive reputations for the shooting sports both on campus and in surrounding communities."

Sixty-five colleges submitted proposals for CSSI grants, and approximately two-thirds received awards. Grants ranged from $10,000, an amount given mainly to schools whose programs are in the development stage, to smaller amounts for schools with established programs. Many schools have had success attracting members using introductory seminars such as NSSF's First Shots and social media sites such as Facebook.

Anyone interested in starting or strengthening a college shotgun, rifle, or pistol team or club can find resources and grant opportunities online at www.nssf.org/college.

KDWPT OFFERS OWN INTERNET-ASSISTED HUNTER EDUCATION COURSE

Image via Wikipedia Improved course offers access from KDWPT’s website
PRATT — For several years, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) Hunter Education Program has offered a two-part alternative to the all-classroom hunter education course, called an “Internet-assisted” course. The course has used the International Hunter Education Association’s Internet program for the first portion of the class — the online portion — but now the agency has replaced this with its own internet-assisted portion of the class.
For Internet-assisted courses, all students must complete an online course before they can attend a field day and testing session, which is the second portion of the course. To begin, go to the Internet assisted field day and testing schedule link found on the KDWPT website, www.kdwpt.ks.us under “Other Services/Education/Hunter/Internet-assisted Course.” Then click the buffalo logo to find contact information for a field day that fits the student’s schedule. After registering for the field day and testing session of choice, the student is ready to begin the course.
Within 90 days of the chosen session, students log onto the KDWPT website listed above. Students need access to a printer to work through this course. As each chapter is completed, students answer the review questions for that chapter and print the page with answers. These must be brought to the second portion of the course, the field day and testing session.
The end of the online portion of the course features a course completion test. This test is important because students see the same material covered on the pretest required to continue the course with the field day and testing session. Students cannot access the completion test until they have completed all the chapter review questions. They must present these chapter review pages and the course completion test to the instructor to get into the field day and testing session. The whole process takes a few hours, from the comfort of home.
The next step is to show up at the designated field day and final testing site. First, students hand in their online tests and take a 25-question quiz to show that they have completed the online work. To continue with the course, students must correctly answer 22 of 25 questions, an easy task for anyone who has gone through the online material. Following the short quiz, students will spend a short time in the classroom discussing hunter ethics, laws, and game identification. Then it’s outside for the rest of the day as they participate in a simulated hunting trail walk, firearm handling, and live fire. The trail walk and live fire shotgun training are required.
The Internet-assisted course format is designed to meet the needs of those individuals with conflicting schedules. Like the traditional course, there is no required fee to take the KDWPT online course. KDWPT does accept two alternative Internet-assisted portions of the course, both of which charge a fee and may be linked to from the KDWPT Hunter Education page online.