Prizes:
• First Place- An Apple iPod touch and a day in “wolf country” with Steel Horse Adventure tours
• Second place entry and honorable mentions (2) will receive gifts from local sponsors. Some of the potential items include a new bike, art prints, and much more.
• Everybody!--If your entry meets minimum standards, you will be entered into a drawing to spend a day in wolf country with Steel Horse Adventure Tours, and other great prizes.
• Even Teachers can win --Teachers with the most student entries will get to go on a private tour of wolf country!
ART CONTEST
Draw or paint a Mexican wolf in its natural habitat highlighting what you think are its most important qualities.
Rules:
• Submit a drawing or painting no larger than 12 by 18 inches in size, preferably mounted on a stiff backing of some sort, such as mat board, foam core or poster board.
• Use any medium you like--pencil, marker, watercolor, etc.--but please, nothing that will smear or fall off
• Entries should be accompanied by a brief (<80 words) artist’s statement explaining your work.
• Please include your name, mailing address, phone number(s), email, name of school, grade level, and the name of the teacher who encouraged you the most to enter this contest (if any).
• Middle school students (6th – 8th grade) or home-schooled students (ages 10-14) in southwestern New Mexico are eligible.
• All entries will be displayed at the Cottonwood Gallery in the Southwest Environmental Center until Jan. 2, 2010. The winning entries will also be displayed on our website and in our newsletter.
• If you would like your entry returned to you, please provide us with a self-addressed, stamped envelope or make arrangements to pick it up at the Southwest Environmental Center.
Deadline: Entries must be received by November 6, 2009 at 5:00 p.m.
Mail or hand-deliver to:
Southwest Environmental Center, 275 N Downtown Mall, Las Cruces, NM 88001
Awards: Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony to be held at the Rio Grande Theatre in Las Cruces, tentatively scheduled for November 14, at 7 p.m.
Judging
Content (accurate presentation of wolf biology & behavior) - 40 points
Composition (artistic merit, use of media, etc) -- 30 points
Creativity (original, insightful, etc) -- 30 points
ESSAY CONTEST
Write an essay on:
Mexican wolves are returning to New Mexico.
What do you think are the most important effects (good and/or bad) wolves will have on:
(1) the plants & other wildlife of New Mexico and
(2) you & your family.
Rules:
• Your essay should answer the question above.
• Middle school students (6th – 8th grade) or home-schooled students (ages 10-14) in southwestern New Mexico are eligible.
• Essays should be 500-800 words in length, and neatly typed.
• Please include your name, mailing address, phone number(s), email, name of school, name of teacher, & grade level.
• High scoring essays will be displayed at the Southwest Environmental Center, on our website & reprinted in our newsletter.
Deadline: Entries must be received by November 6, 2009 at 5:00 p.m. Please submit your essay by email (preferred) to paul@wildmesquite.org or hand-deliver to:
Southwest Environmental Center, 275 N Downtown Mall, Las Cruces, NM 88001
Awards: Winners will be announced at an awards ceremony to be held at the Rio Grande Theatre in Las Cruces, tentatively scheduled for November 14, at 7 p.m.
Judging
Content (accurate presentation of wolf biology, history, status) - 50 points
Logic & persuasiveness of argument - 30 points
Quality of writing - 20 points
For More Information
Contact the Southwest Environmental Center at 575-522-5552 or paul@wildmesquite.org.
To get started learning more about Mexican Wolves read up here at www.mexicanwolves.org and go to http://www.fws.gov/southwest/es/mexicanwolf
