News  Youth Artist from Boxborough Wins Junior Duck Stamp Contest

Annabelle Xu from Boxborough won Best of Show in the 2025 Massachusetts Junior Duck Stamp (JDS) Contest. Her colored pencil drawing of an American wigeon was selected from 133 entries. Xu’s award-winning work will represent Massachusetts at the National JDS Contest. 

Students from kindergarten through grade 12 from across the Commonwealth submitted original works of art depicting waterfowl in their natural habitats, demonstrating both artistic talent and a knowledge of the value of wetlands for wildlife. In March, a panel of judges selected the top works of art in each of four age groups.

The Massachusetts JDS Program is sponsored by MassWildlife and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, with support from the Massachusetts Sportsmen’s Council. Please support the JDS Program and wetland conservation by purchasing Junior Duck Stamps featuring national winners from previous years. Stamps can be purchased at duckstamp.com.

More about the Junior Duck Stamp Program

Students who participate in the Junior Duck Stamp Program learn about waterfowl, explore waterfowl habitats, and investigate conservation challenges facing ducks, geese, and swans. These learnings are translated into works of art that show what students have discovered about the species’ anatomy and unique characteristics. Students are encouraged to illustrate aquatic vegetation, trees, and plants appropriate for the depicted species’ natural habitat. Feather colors should be appropriate to the time of the year demonstrated by the environment in the painting. To learn more about the Massachusetts JDS Program, visit mass.gov/dfw/jds.

The judging process

At the state level, it takes several rounds of judging to select winners. First, second, and third place, plus honorable mentions are awarded in each of four age categories. One student’s design is selected as “Best of Show” and represents Massachusetts at the National level. Artwork entries are judged based on originality, anatomical accuracy, artistic composition, and suitability for reproduction on a 1.5 x 2-inch stamp.

Judges consider a variety of aesthetic criteria when evaluating artwork including:

• Form: For realistic portrayals, is the waterfowl anatomically accurate? For other art styles, does the form highlight the species' characteristics in an appropriate way?
• Line: Are the details necessary, correct, and effective?
• Color: Are the colors appropriate for the selected species and surrounding habitat? Does the illustration accurately or creatively depict the species of waterfowl in plumage, habitat, and season, in a realistic or decorative depiction of the bird or birds?
• Scale and shape: Is the visual statement appropriate for a 1.5 x 2-inch stamp, or will details be lost when reduced in size? Is the design suited to a horizontal, rectangular stamp shape?
• Clarity of visual symbolism: Does the illustration communicate the purpose of the stamp and can the elements of the illustration be easily identified?
• Spatial division: Are there negative and positive areas within the illustration and do they work together?
• Texture: Are the textures visually and physically appropriate to the species of waterfowl chosen?

Click here to view a selection of JDS artwork from previous years.