ATHENS—Three St. Joseph School, Athens, young artists have had their designs chosen as winners in the statewide Give Wildlife a Chance poster contest.

Owl in chalk pastels by Clayton Scott, second-grader at St. Joseph School in Athens, won second place in his grade level in a wildlife art competition sponsored by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.

Kindergarten student Ginna Dugas won first place in her grade level for her drawing of sea turtles done with sharpie and tempo.

Clayton Scott, in second grade at the Athens Catholic school, won second place in the first- and second-grade division for his drawing of an owl done in chalk and pastels.

Dominic Noel, a fourth-grader at St. Joseph School, won second place in the third- and fourth-grade division. He painted a Cerulean warbler on a branch.

Overall, winners included 12 elementary school students in kindergarten through fifth grade. About 1,450 students from public schools, private schools and homeschool groups participated in the conservation art contest.

Artists depicted Georgia’s native plants and animals with the theme “Every Species Matters!”

The contest was sponsored by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Division, the State Botanical Garden at the University of Georgia and The Environmental Resources Network, Inc.

Winning entries can be viewed at www.flickr.com/photos/wildliferesourcesdivision. They were also displayed at the visitors center at the State Botanical Garden of Georgia in Athens.