The judging for the annual Indiana Junior Duck Stamp Contest was March 25 at Muscatatuck National Wildlife Refuge east of Seymour.

There were 546 entries in the contest this year. Neely Abegg, a 17-year-old student from Hebron, won the State Best of Show award with her entry of two wood duck chicks. Her entry has been forwarded to the National Junior Duck Stamp Contest to compete against other state winners in the late April judging.

The contest is judged in four age categories with three first-, second- and third-place winners in each age category, plus 16 honorable mention if there are enough entries.

An awards ceremony for Indiana first-, second- and third-place winners will be May 13 during Wings Over Muscatatuck at the refuge.

Jackson County students honored include:

Kindergarten through third grade: Oliver Lanam, 8, Southern Indiana Center for the Arts, first place; Harley Koons, 8, Southern Indiana Center for the Arts, second place

Grades 4 through 6: Ava Blomenberg, 9, Southern Indiana Center for the Arts, first place; Annie Boyd, 11, Sandy Creek Christian Academy, honorable mention

Grades 7 through 9: Luke Lanam, 13, Southern Indiana Center for the Arts, second place; Sarah Lemming, 13, St. Ambrose Catholic School, honorable mention

The Junior Duck Stamp Contest promotes learning about waterfowl and conservation by creating art. The student contest is a smaller version of the adult Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest.

The National Junior Duck Stamp Contest winner receives a $2,000 cash award and a free trip to Washington, D.C., for the Federal Duck Stamp Art Contest judging. The National Junior Duck Stamp winner also is made into a collectible stamp.