Little design experience and knowledge of wild turkeys, or even turkey hunting, didn’t stop Waldon Middle School student Lauren Prainito from creating a first class drawing.
Prainito’s drawing was recently awarded first place in the state’s third annual wild turkey patch contest.
Her design will be the basis of the 2007 Turkey Management Cooperator patch sold to successful Michigan turkey hunters in 2007.
Prainito did the drawing as part of an extra credit assignment in Jon Gray’s 8th grade science class at Waldon.
‘I bring in examples of patches so they get an idea of what the contest is looking for,? Gray said.
Prainito started her design process by looking at Turkey drawings on the Internet.
What made her design stand out in the end was a pretty simple difference.
‘My drawing had a front view of the turkey and most of the others used a side view,? Prainito said.
For her efforts, Prainito was awarded $100 and recognition at the annual National Wild Turkey Federation State Convention, held earlier this month in Midland.
Prainito, who is involved with the yearbook at Waldon, along with volleyball and soccer, said winning the contest was a total surprise.
Her design was chosen from over 150 submissions from K-12 students across the state.
The contest was sponsored by the NWTF, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, and the Michigan Project Wild.
Prainito’s patch will be unveiled in December, and will be available for purchase in the spring of 2007.
Last year, 4,356 patches were sold, with all of the proceeds going towards wild turkey habitat projects in association with the DNR.
According to Gray, the patches sell for $5 a piece, but hunters ages 12-17 can get them for free to help encourage youth hunting.
‘This is the first year that the winner was not associated with the NWTF,? said Gray.
Prainito’s work wasn’t the only Waldon design to be recognized.
Mat Brown won third place, and Nikki Roach and Sarah Hopkins were both finalists.
To see the winning designs, visit the contest website at www.carrs.msu.edu/projectwild/turkeypatchweb/2002winningdesignNew.htm.