April 2012 - Parks & Recreation - 54

Get to Know (Your Wild Neighbors)
Children's Art and Photography Contest Ideal for Park and Recreation Agencies
Richard J. Dolesh

n e w n atio n a l a rt, writing, and photography contest
for children and youth called
" Get to Know " (Your Wild Neighbors) is
being launched in the U.S. this April. Park
and recreation agencies across the nation are invited to encourage children and youth to
visit their local parks and
using subjects they find in
nature, to draw a picture,
take a photo, make a video,
write a post, or even compose some music, and enter
the contest.
The Get to Know contest
is an outgrowth of the highly successful nature and art
contest begun by internationally famous wildlife artist Robert Bateman more
than 12 years ago. The
purpose of this nationwide
contest is to encourage
children and youth to simply " get to know " their wild
neighbors-birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians,
insects, and plants, and to
express their connection
through the arts.
This year's theme is in keeping with
founder Robert Bateman's original belief
that caring for our environment begins
with knowing the names of the wild plants
and animals we find in our own community and our own wild places. Studies have
shown that kids can recognize hundreds
of corporate logos by a very early age, but
can't name ten species of plants or animals
in their own backyard. In a recent conference call to sponsoring groups, Bateman,
now age 82, said, " What is going to happen to the natural world if the next generation doesn't care for it? We need to

52 Parks & Recreation A P R I L

get back to the point where kids want to
spend their free time outdoors with their
friends, exploring nature. "
Organizers of the contest in Canada
have seen that connecting with nature
and the outdoors through art develops a

deeper appreciation and understanding
of wild living things. And the power of art
helps youth connect with other youth who
are using the creative arts to convey their
passion and have their accomplishments
celebrated.
Whether the environment kids in your
communities can experience is a tiny
pocket park or acres upon acres of forests
and wetlands, this contest offers youth
the opportunity to learn about and celebrate the living things that make up the
world around them. Every entry will be
acknowledged, and winners will receive

2 0 1 2 w w w . N R P A . O R G

all kinds of wild prizes, including an invitation to the week-long Get to Know Art &
Nature Camp supported by Parks Canada,
and the chance to have their entry appear
in a 2013 national calendar produced with
images of winning entries from this year's
contest.
On April 7, 2012, the Get
to Know Contest will launch
nationally across the United
States and run 90 days, until July 16, 2012. All youth up
to the age of 19 are eligible
to enter. Park and recreation agencies in a number
of U.S. cities will participate
in or host launch events, including Los Angeles, Seattle, Anchorage, Denver,
Washington, DC, and Atlanta. A number of agencies and national non-profit
associations are sponsoring the GTK contest, including the U.S. Forest Service,
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Wildlife Federation, Association of Zoos
and Aquariums, Wildlife
Habitat Council, the National Recreation and Park Association, Wildlife Forever, Outdoor Afro,
and over 50 other organizational partners
from coast to coast.
Park and recreation agencies in every
community are invited to sponsor and promote the Get to Know contest. There is no
fee, and online contest promotion materials will be available to organizing agencies.
For more information on how your agency
can take part in the 2012 Get to Know contest, visit www.get-to-know.org.
Richard J. Dolesh is NRPA Vice

President for Conservation and Parks.

April 2012 - Parks & Recreation

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