Thomas Lake artist is double grand prize winner

ROSEMOUNT, Minn. -- Sky Waters, a fifth-grade student at Thomas Lake Elementary School, was the grand prize winner in two different Endangered Species Youth Art Contests that were sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service this spring.

In April, his airbrush watercolor of a woodland caribou was named grand prize recipient in a contest sponsored by the Endangered Species Program of U.S. Fish and Wildlife. There were more than 2,100 submissions for this contest, which was open to students grades K-12 from throughout the United States. First-place finishers were chosen by grade categories of K-2, 3-6, 7-9 and 10-12, and second- and third-place winners were named in each grade category. Sky's painting was named the overall grand prize winner in the contest.

In May, a different painting by Sky of a Karner blue butterfly was named grand prize recipient in a similar Endangered Species Youth Art Contest that was sponsored by the Midwest Region of U.S. Fish and Wildlife. Nearly 600 entries were received from students throughout Minnesota.

This year is the first year for the Endangered Species Youth Art Contests, which are designed to showcase student art, raise awareness of rare animals and plants, and highlight Endangered Species Day on May 18. The contests were open to students in grades K-12 and required that the piece depict a live portrayal of one of several federally listed endangered or threatened species that were provided for students to learn about and choose from.

Sky entered the contests after his parents were informed about them by DeAnne Parks, artist-in-residence at Thomas Lake Elementary.