Date: 05/07/10
Contact: Aaron Meier
Phone: (775) 688-1998

SILVER SPRINGS FIFTH GRADER WINS FREE FISHING DAY POSTER CONTEST

This year's theme for the Nevada Free Fishing Day Poster Contest, an annual art contest for the Silver State's fourth and fifth graders sponsored by the Nevada Department of Wildlife, was "Discover the Fun of Fishing." Leanne Perez, fifth grade student at Silver Stage Middle School in Silver Springs, watched her fellow classmates all drawing fishing scenes and tried to come up with something a little different.
“I came up with the magnifying glass idea because I wanted to come up with something my class wasn’t doing,” said Perez, “and when you discover something you use a magnifying glass. The topic was ‘Discover the Fun of Fishing’, so I’ll discover it by using a magnifying glass and I found it!”

With her clever and colorful drawing of a magnifying glass discovering the fun of fishing Perez also found herself as the winner of the 2010 Nevada Free Fishing Day Poster Contest. Her drawing will be featured on the 2010 poster promoting Free Fishing Day in Nevada and will also be on the 2011 Fishing Seasons and Regulations magazine. As the winner, she will receive a framed copy of her artwork and a fishing rod and reel. She and her family will also be treated to a guided fishing trip on a lake or river in northern Nevada, sponsored by the Sierra Nevada Big Mouths.

“Fishing was always something that my family loved to do together. I remember my first fishing trip, my parents got a mini-pole just for me and from then on I just loved to do it. The excitement of catching something was amazing,” said Perez.

A record 358 fourth and fifth graders from around the state put crayons, markers and colored pencils to paper to vie for the honor of illustrating the 2010 Free Fishing Day Poster. Free Fishing Day takes place on Saturday, June 12 this year. The statewide event allows anglers to fish in any public fishing water in the state without a fishing license or trout stamp, while all limits and other regulations apply. Visit www.ndow.org to find out more about Free Fishing Day events taking place locally.

Piñon Hills Elementary nearly won for the third-year-in-a-row with students from the school grabbing both runner-up spots. Students from the Minden area school took first place in both the 2008 and 2009 contests. Runners up in this year’s contest were fifth-graders Karina Peterson and Wenny Lu, both from Piñon Hills Elementary. They will receive a fishing rod and reel and have their artwork featured on next year’s back cover of NDOW’s Fishing Regulations publication.

The Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) protects, restores and manages fish and wildlife, and promotes fishing, hunting, and boating safety. NDOW’s wildlife and habitat conservation efforts are primarily funded by sportsmen’s license and conservation fees and a federal surcharge on hunting and fishing gear. Support wildlife and habitat conservation in Nevada by purchasing a hunting, fishing, or combination license. For more information, visit www.ndow.org.