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The Maryland Department of the Environment (MDE) participated in the fourth Annual Environmental Photography Contest Award Ceremony, held at Frostburg State University on April 19, 2007, at the Frostburg State University (FSU) Compton Science Center.
Appreciating and capturing the environmental beauty of Western Maryland (Allegany or Garrett County) through photography is the theme of the contest each year. Over 130 color and black and white entries were received this year. The panel of judges for the contest included: Maryland State Senator George Edwards, Al Feldstein, Maryland Office of Planning and local historian, John E. Carey, and Stanley Eisel. The awards for this year’s winners totaled over $1,600 in cash, prizes, and gift certificates.
It’s Never Too Late!
The entries were accepted early this year from eligible entrants for the contest, which is anyone over the age of 11 years old who is living, working, or attending school in either Allegany or Garrett County. The photography contestants this year ranged in age from 12-years old to 80-years old.
The contest is administered each year by FSU’s Environmental Planning and Land Management Institute in a joint venture between FSU’s Department of Geography and the Maryland Bureau of Mines, Maryland Department of the Environment.
Local businesses sponsored this year’s contest ceremony, mastered by Dr. Henry Bullamore. FSU Department of Geography President Jonathan C. Gibralter welcomed everyone to the ceremony and congratulated the winners. Dr. Joseph Hoffman, FSU Dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences, thanked the contestants and encouraged continued appreciation of the environment through photography. Dr. Cindy Herzog, associate dean of the school of liberal arts and science thanked the Maryland Bureau of Mines for their hard work and efforts in coordinating and executing this important program each year. Maryland Senator George C. Edwards welcomed attendees and contest participants and thanked them for their support of this important effort in environmental awareness. Al Feldstein told the contest entrants that although there were only a few winners – that no one was a ‘loser’, and selecting just a few top photographs was difficult. He said that the quality of the photography improves each year.
Everyone’s a Winner!
The contest winners this year were first place – Suzie Patricia Fike, Garrett County; second place – Thomas Mathews, Allegany County retired employee; third place – Arna Armstrong, Frostburg Md.; honorable mention – Rachel Burkett, middle school student Mt. Savage, Md. The “People’s Choice Award” was selected by the public voting on the Internet and paper ballot. This year over 1,000 people voted on their favorite photograph. The 2007 People’s Choice Award winner was Melanie Mathews of Cumberland, Md. The winners of the macro photography entrants were: first place – Peggy Mahler, Cumberland, Md., and honorable mention was Wendy Petenbrink, Frostburg, Md. Congratulations to this year's top finalists for the photography contest. The fifth annual environmental photography contest will begin in January, 2008.
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