Friday, January 12, 2007

Yes!!

Exciting news... :) Yesterday afternoon, while I was engaged in school Mom came and handed me the phone. "It's the American Birding Association," she said. Since I'd been waiting a couple months to hear results from their Young Birder of the Year contest (which I entered), my heart skipped a beat. Why would they be calling me? The lady on the phone then told me that I had placed 2nd overall (there are only 2 grand prize winners) in the YBY, had gotten first place in the upper age group illustration module, and 3rd place in both photography and field notebook! This is a nationwide contest. I couldn't believe it. :) The 2nd place grand prize is an incredibly nice Leica Trinovid 8x32 binocular (list price about $1500!) and a $350 scholarship to a birding convention or camp. Plus a ton of books and other things for placing in the individual modules. This is the kind of thing I've been dreaming about for a long time--God is good!

Quote of the day: "To look through a pair of binoculars, you'd have to have four eyes."--Someone...

Have a great day everyone! (Stay warm :)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Congratulations!! You must be so proud. But then, when I was looking through what you submitted again, it's no wonder, because they're truely amazing!

Warm? Warm!? It's like 20 degress ouside! Oh, wait, I think I missed the joke again as usual, didn't I... :D

Anonymous said...

That is fantastic Benj! All that hard work paid off. Keep it up.

Benjamin Berkompas said...

Thanks. It turns out I can compete again this year and still be eligible for 1st prize. Right now my next duck stamp painting is priority--expect blog updates soon.

Hope to talk with you soon Christopher! This morning we were wishing for some TX weather. Duck hunting in 15-19 degree weather with an inch of ice and nothing to show for it is, well, not so fun... :)