Georgia Teacher Named State Fish Art Educator of the Year

WHITE BEAR LAKE, MN - Kathleen Petka has been named Wildlife Forever's 2017 State-Fish Art Educator of the Year. During her thirteen years of teaching at Walton High School, Kathleen has built a superior visual arts program and her students have been recognized at the national level many times. Annually, she has her art students participate in contests , like State-Fish Art, that help teach her students the importance of conservation. Shereceives a $500 Gift Card, for classroom art supplies, from the award's sponsor, Triarco Arts & Crafts,

"This contest is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn, care, share, teach, and create!" comments Kathleen. "They take ownership of their works and get to select the state fish of their desire, write with meaning, create art with a message, and they get to share their works-all while learning how important it is to be mindful of our environment."

"Kathleen's in-class critiques are a fabulous idea!" states Karen Hollingsworth, Manager of State-Fish Art. "Her students teach their peers about the many species of fish, their environments and how pollution can negatively affect and endanger wildlife."

"It's clear, from reading her student's essays each year, that Ms. Petka continues to pass on her knowledge and passion for aquatic conservation to her students. She also dedicates a substantial amount of time to organizing and submitting hundreds of student contest entries each year", remarks Marion Baker the State-Fish Art coordinator at the Go Fish Education Center in Georgia.

Kathleen joins past winners of the Educator of the Year Award – Joe Colby, 2016 from Oregon; Jennifer Brooks, 2015 from Texas; Scott Cummings, 2014 from Indiana; Ashley Berdeau, 2013 from North Carolina; Dr. Helen Loughner, 2012 from Pennsylvania; Lila Jenkins, 2011 from Missouri; Michelle Daberkow, 2010 from Nebraska; Dawn Cook, 2009 from Arkansas and Zoe Ann Stinchcomb, 2008 from Texas.

The State-Fish Art Contest is made possible by support from the U.S. Forest Service, Triarco Arts & Crafts, Rapala, Go Fish Georgia Education Center, Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center, USFWS Division of Fish and Aquatic Conservation Region 7 and Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.

About Triarco Arts & Crafts
In 1946, Triarco® Arts & Crafts, LLC began its proud history as an arts & craft supplier in the greater Twin Cities area. Triarco® now offers nearly 15,000 products within the covers of its three unique mail order catalogs. With customers around the world their primary objective is to offer all of them the best customer service on the planet! Visit www.triarcoarts.com

About State-Fish Art
The Wildlife Forever State-Fish Art Contest is in its 19th year, bringing children, art and aquatic conservation together. To enter, young artists create an original illustration of any official state-fish and one page of writing detailing its behavior, habitat, and efforts to conserve it. Educators nationwide utilize Fish On!, the free full-color State-Fish Art Lesson Plan. It is available on CD, at no charge, and for download. Entries are due by March 31st each year. Sponsor and partnership opportunities are available. For more details and to view the 2017 winning art and writings visit www.StateFishArt.org.

About Wildlife Forever
Located in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, Wildlife Forever's mission is to conserve America's wildlife heritage through conservation education, preservation of habitat and management of fish and wildlife. For 30 years, members have helped conduct thousands of fish, game and habitat conservation projects across the country. To join or learn more about Wildlife Forever's award-winning programs, including work to engage America's youth, visit www.WildlifeForever.org.