15th Annual Banff Mountain Film Festival

ASU Outdoor ProgramsOutdoor Programs is bringing the 15th Annual Banff Mountain Film Festival back to Boone for the “best of the festival” world tour Friday and Saturday, April 1-2, 2011. The films will be screened at Farthing Auditorium on the campus of Appalachian State University.

These films focus on themes of environment, culture, and adventure in the mountains and represent the best of the best. Hundreds of entries were submitted from around the world, and Outdoor Programs has selected films for this viewing that will not only educate, but will also inspire and entertain.

Online ticket sales for Banff can be purchased through Farthing Auditorium, or if you’re in downtown Boone, NC, you can pick up your tickets at Footsloggers Outdoor and Travel Outfitters. Tickets are $9 (students can grab tickets at $7).

Check out the Banff Mountain Film Festival trailer for 2010-2011:

For more information on the Banff Mountain film festival and to see clips of other films available for viewing, please visit their website.

8th Annual AMPC Finalists Announced

Thank you to all photographers who submitted to the 8th annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition. Once again, we locked our judges in a small, hot room to view this year’s submissions and many hours later they reemerged with forty-six images invited to exhibit at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts.

Foggy Valley (Rob Travis), 8th Annual AMPC Finalist - Landscape
Foggy Valley (Rob Travis), 8th Annual AMPC Finalist – Landscape

Congratulations from the organizers and sponsors of the AMPC to all selected photographers, and a sincere thank you to everyone who submitted photographs for consideration for sharing their vision of the people, places and pursuits that distinguish the Southern Appalachians.

8th Annual AMPC Finalists

Adventure :: Imagery depicting mountain sports such as climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, etc.
Lynn Willis “The Great Arete at Big Lost Cove Cliffs”
Lynne Townsend “Soaring in Solitude”
Kristian Jackson “Follow Me” &
“Not Fit for Man or Beast”
Russ Taylor “Breaking the Morning Mist” &
“Morning Crossing”
Amber Brown “Airstream”
William A. Bake “Dawnbuster”
Blue Ridge Parkway Share the Journey® – Trees :: A rotating category each year with a different theme.
Scott Hotaling “Winter Canopy”
David Anderson “244”
Michael Phillips “‘Wizard of Oz’ Craggy Beech Tree”
Blue Ridge Parkway Vistas :: Scenic imagery capturing the natural and/or cultural beauty of the Blue Ridge Parkway that may include landmarks as well as geological highlights.
Scott Hotaling “Winter Flame” &
“Cold Mountain Sunrise”
Tommy White “Boone Fork Bridge”
Brenda Ellis “Ice Blue”
Kenneth Voltz “Pounding Mill Shadows”
Daniel Burleson “Charlotte from Beacon Heights”
Zack Wilson “Viaduct Stars”
Culture :: Imagery depicting the people, their customs, traditions, architecture, and ways of life unique to the Southern Appalachian region.
Scott Hotaling “Forgotten Chair” &
“Still Flying”
Kristian Jackson “Max Woody’s Chair Shop”
Clayton Joe Young “Arlie’s Beard” &
“Eustace”
Russ Taylor “Some Just Sit a Spell”
Michelle Mockbee “Ronnie Adkin’s House of Music”
Our Ecological Footprint :: Imagery documenting environmental concerns in Central and Southern Appalachia.
Scott Hotaling “Death on the Summit”
Lynn Willis “Pinnacle Fire in the Linville Gorge”
Lynne Townsend “Extreme River Runoff”
Megan Naylor “Reflecting on Mountains Lost”
Ben Wesemann “Deep Tracks”
Flora and Fauna :: Imagery of plants and animals common to the Southern Appalachians.
Scott Hotaling “Bull Elk at Dawn” &
“Stick Together”
Laura Varney-Watts “Turk’s Cap”
Brian Clevenger “Flight of the Butterfly”
Rob Travis “Hummer, Landing…”
Jeffrey Stoner “Nash”
Landscape :: Scenic imagery capturing the rich diversity and natural beauty of the Southern Appalachian region.
Scott Hotaling “Fall in the Gorge”
Tommy White “Final Goodbye”
Dale King “Goldenrod Sunrise”
Heather Wolf Turner “Spring Melt”
Nicholas D’Amato “Wild West”
Kristian Jackson “Powder Bowl”
Laura Varney-Watts “Hawksbill Mountain Engagement”
Jim Ruff “Hump Mountain”
Rob Travis “Foggy Valley”
Amber Brown “Web Dotted Fence”

Remember, the exhibition at the Turchin Center on the campus of Appalachian State University opens on Friday February 4th and the images are available in our photograph archives. This night also marks the opening reception of the 8th annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition.

To all of this year’s participants: thank you for your support and participation. Together all of you keep raising the bar. Proceeds from the annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition support Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions (SOLE Trips) at Appalachian State University. Visit www.op.appstate.edu to learn more.

8th Annual AMPC Jurors Announced

With the December 17th deadline fast approaching, organizers of the 8th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition are pleased to announce the selection of this year’s competition judges. Photographers interested in submitting their work for consideration should visit http://appmtnphotocomp.org for competition rules and to register.

The jurors selected for the 8th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition have made a broad impact with their work. “Each year we look to select three photographers to jury the competition, each of whom can offer a unique perspective to the process,” said Andrew Miller, Competition Director. “I am really excited about the backgrounds and accomplishments of this year’s jurors, and that two of them have seen a great deal of success in the AMPC.”

Eric Heistand

Eric HeistandEric Heistand has won numerous photography awards, including top honors at last year’s Banff Mountain Photography Competition (Mountain Environment) and the National Geographic Great Outdoors Photo Competition.

Eric’s work has also been a mainstay the last several years of the AMPC taking Best in Show with his image Splash or Trash in the 6th annual competition. Eric still says he is most proud of having his images hang in the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts in front of his home town crowd.

Jessica Maceda

Jessica MacedaAuthor of the photo blog Wayfaring Wanderer, Jessica Maceda posseses an unruly appetite for travel and unending passion for photography. Like Eric, Jessica’s work has also been a mainstay in the AMPC for the last several years and has been featured in the North Carolina Wildlife Photography Competition and publications including WNC magazine.

Jessica currently works as a freelance portrait photographer and graphic designer in and around the High Country.

Matt Powell

Matt PowellMatt Powell is a photographer and video producer currently on staff with Samaritan’s Purse- a job which takes him throughout the developing world documenting communities in need and in transition. His passion is using photography to bridge the gap between those in need and those who are willing to help, and his images raise private, charitable donations worldwide.

Matt’s side work includes wedding photography and video production projects for the Boone & Watauga County Tourism Development Authority helping promote the outdoor recreation opportunities and natural beauty of our area.

All images submitted in accordance with competition guidelines will be eligible for preliminary judging. The first round of review will result in the selection of approximately forty-six images that will be exhibited at the Turchin Center for the Visual Arts on the Campus of Appalachian State University, February 4th through June 4th, 2011. Once the exhibition is installed, the panel of judges will return to name one image as Best in Show and to select a winning image from each of the seven competition categories. The judges may also choose to acknowledge strong works in each of the categories by recognizing them with a Special Mention. Winning and Special Mention images will be announced the week of April 4th.

Visit our Press Room for more press & media resource information.

2010 SOLE Trip to New Zealand

On the eve of the 8th Annual Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition opening, I want to share with you a couple of highlights from one of the 2010 Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions (SOLE Trips) which are supported in part by AMPC proceeds.

This summer marked the 7th New Zealand expedition hosted by Outdoor Programs at Appalachian State University. The 28-day short-term study abroad program immerses students in the landscapes and cultures of this remarkable and stunning country. This year marked the fourth time I have served as a leader of this experience, and I have to say, on this trip, the stars aligned.

Dance lessons at Te Puna Wanaka
Dance lessons at Te Puna Wanaka

Twenty-one students participated in the expedition, along with Rich Campbell, Director of Outdoor Programs, and myself as expedition leaders. Ten semester hours of credit offered through four separate classes are associated with this active journey of discovery that offers rich and authentic experiences. One of the early in-country components of the New Zealand expedition is an introduction to the Maori culture.

Maori Carvings at Waikawa Marae
Maori Carvings at Waikawa Marae

Believed to have first arrived nearly 1,000 years ago in what is now New Zealand, the Maori (mow-ree) people present our students with a unique perspective on both the near-universal challenges faced by indigenous populations and an example of a country that is dealing head-on with reparations and integration of their native population.

Te Puna Wanaka and Waikawa Marae (y-ka-wa ma-rye) (both community centers for Maori tribes) welcomed us into their sacred spaces and shared their language, music, and culture. We in turn are excited to share our music and culture with them by presenting our own version of traditional Appalachian songs accompanied by traditional Appalachian instruments. This year, our team learned the song “Shady Grove,” and as it always seems, we were blessed with several talented musicians.

We were able to bring with us a banjo purchased at Appalachian Music Shop and put on our show. After sharing our song at Waikawa Marae, we presented them with the banjo, which has become tradition. From our years of visiting, we have gifted Waikawa a dulcimer, a mandolin, and now a banjo. If we can figure out how to get an upright bass in the overhead compartment of a 747, they will have everything they need for their own bluegrass jam!

Rafting in Karamea River
Rafting in Karamea River

Another component, and arguably the most complex part of the trip, takes place shortly after our departure from Waikawa: an eight-day east-to-west traverse of the top of the South Island that includes a source-to-sea experience following the Leslie and Karamea rivers.

This has traditionally been not only the most logistically challenging element of the expedition, but also the most physically challenging. It is five days backpacking up and over the northern end of the Southern Alps, leading us into the rainforests and river drainages of the west coast.

Supplies brought in for Karamea River
Supplies brought in for Karamea River

After five days of walking into the wilderness, we arrive at a large curve in the Karamea River, referred to as the Karamea Bend. Here, the trails end and we await several helicopter loads of gear and guides who will join us for three days of navigating the class III-IV rapids of the Karamea. (This is an incredible experience, as the Karamea is visited by no more than one hundred people in a given year.) Navigating the river demands focus, resilience, and an adventurous spirit. The water levels this summer were ideal, the weather rarely matched, and the group was well tuned and highly productive. As I said before, the stars aligned on this trip. We followed the Karamea with ease out to the west coast, taking off the river less than one mile from the Tasman Sea in the small town of Karamea.

Other components of the New Zealand SOLE trip include work with reforestation, in part to off-set our carbon footprint, and a five-day sea kayak journey along the Abel Tasman coast. These trips are far more than playing outside for the students who participate. They foster cultural competence and independence as well as interdependence, environmental stewardship, and friendships that endure long after the last tent is packed away.

Baby harbor seal in Shag Harbor
Baby harbor seal in Shag Harbor

The proceeds from AMPC and Outdoor Programs’s annual screenings of the Banff Mountain Film Festival are used to subsidize the budgets of these trips, lowering the cost and reducing financial barriers for those participating. I, too, see them as a right of passage of sorts; something that seems all but lost in modern American society. The students I know before arriving in New Zealand are rarely the same students I see returning from the expedition—as if this experience outlines a new chapter in who they are and what drives their passions.

New Zealand SOLE Trip Gallery

To learn more about Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions and everything Outdoor Programs offers, visit www.op.appstate.edu.

8th Annual AMPC Parkway Category Theme: Parkway Tree Project

One very special and anticipated feature of the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition is its rotating Blue Ridge Parkway Journey category theme. This year, The Parkway Tree Project has been established to document significant trees that contribute to the character, environment, and/or aesthetic of the Blue Ridge Parkway.

Photographers are encouraged to capture images of trees along the Blue Ridge Parkway that stand out as the most beautiful, the oldest, or largest; trees that tell a story or have a place in history; and those that are unique for their shape, species, or character.

/**** Begin Update ****/

Finalists for 8th Annual Parkway Tree Project

/**** End Update ****/

Trees are an integral part of the human experience, providing the raw materials that shape our homes and the fuel that keeps them warm. Trees inspire us with their stately grandeur, their displays of seasonal color, and their annual cycle of renewal that signifies the changing of seasons. The areas comprising the Blue Ridge Parkway boast nearly a hundred tree species that contribute to ecological zones of unsurpassed diversity. The Parkway Tree Project seeks to bring greater public awareness to the rich natural resources of the Blue Ridge Parkway and to document its most outstanding trees.

In addition to capturing images of trees, photographers submitting to the Parkway Tree Project are asked to identify the tree species, document the tree’s location (e.g. GPS coordinates, Milepost, or other identifying indicators of the tree’s location), and describe in a short story of a paragraph or more why the photographed tree is of particular significance.

Entries will be judged on impact, subject matter, center of interest, and storytelling – effectively sharing the journey by celebrating trees along the Parkway. Happy Shooting!

7th Annual AMPC Winners Announced

The final moment has arrived and today, the judges have announced the winners for this year’s Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition. Congratulations are certainly in order for this year’s category winners, special mentions, finalists, and of course, Best In Show and People’s Choice Award winners!

Pushing the Christmas Tree Bailer (Tommy Penick), 7th Annual Winner - Best in Show
Pushing the Christmas Tree Bailer (Tommy Penick), 7th Annual Winner – Best in Show

Thanks to all of the photographers this year for participating, as well as the general public at large for helping us to get the word out with press releases, blog posts, blog comments, etc.

Evolution River (Scott Hotaling), 7th Annual People's Choice Award Winner
Evolution River (Scott Hotaling), 7th Annual People’s Choice Award Winner

AMPC is funded through the generous contributions of our partners, sponsors and supporters. You can provide needed operational support to AMPC by choosing to make a donation and/or offering us feedback on your user experience.

7th Annual Winner List

7th Annual Best In Show Pushing the Christmas Tree Bailer 
by Tommy Penick
7th Annual People’s Choice Award Evolution River 
by Scott Hotaling

AMPC Category Winners

Adventure Tent Nestled Atop the Chimneys in Linville Gorge
by Lynn Willis
Blue Ridge Parkway Journey The Lost Table
by Dale King
Blue Ridge Parkway Vistas Leave Only Footprints
by Dale King
Culture Untitled
by Ian Mahathey
Our Ecological Footprint Coal Fly Ash Sludge Disaster
by Jerry D. Greer
Flora & Fauna Windswept Grasses in Craggy Gardens
by Bill Gozansky
Landscape Winter Wonderland
by Ian Riley


Special Mention Honors

An additional seven photographers have been recognized as having images of distinction and merit and received Special Mention Honors from the judges.

Blue Ridge Parkway Vistas No End in Sight
by Jessica Maceda
Culture Rooftop
by Colby Rabon
Culture Wrestle
by Toril Lavender
Our Ecological Footprint SeigeScalp
by Dan Smith
Flora & Fauna Flight of the Bumblebee
by Eric Heistand
Landscape Winter Gold
by Scott Hotaling
Landscape Late September, Graveyard Fields
by Jon D. Bowman

7th Annual Winner Gallery

Your participation this year will help to make the Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions through ASU’s Outdoor Programs an experience of a lifetime for many students. Thank you for your unwavering support and enthusiasm!

Visit our Press Room for more AMPC press & media resource information.

It’s Good For The SOLE

The Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition has grown to be one of the top photography events in our region.   This year, we saw a nearly 20% increase in submissions and received them from 14 states and several international destinations.

op-plant-it-orange-logo

A number of individuals, organizations, and businesses lend a hand to make AMPC possible, and we work hard to highlight those efforts.  Something we don’t spend a lot of time highlighting is what we do with the proceeds garnered from the annual competition, so I wanted to take some time to share that with you.

AMPC is coordinated by Appalachian State University’s Outdoor Programs (OP).  In our 37 year history, OP has grown to be the adventure authority at App State, introducing students to outdoor opportunities in their backyard and around the world.

In the nineties, OP began offering extended expeditions; trips typically 3 to 4 weeks in length that often carried academic credit.  Those initial expeditions included mountaineering in the Teton National Park and multidiscipline trips to Alaska.

Hiking Trip

This model of blending adventure, challenge, and expeditionary learning proved very successful, and in 2004 Outdoor Programs offered our first short-term study abroad course: an International expedition to New Zealand.  It was around this time that we started referring to these experiences as Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions, or SOLE trips for short.

In May, we will return to New Zealand with a group of App State students for our seventh expedition.  Another group will be traveling to Wales, our fourth expedition to that Country.  Since 2004, we have embarked on two expeditions to Fiji and returned again on one occasion to Alaska.  The proceeds from AMPC combined with the proceeds from our annual screenings of the Banff Mountain Film Festival are used to reduce the cost of OP’s Student Outdoor Learning Expeditions; opening doors for more students to experience the benefits of short-term study abroad through active journeys of discovery.

Sunset Hike

These expeditions immerse students in the rugged environments and unique cultures of the places we visit.  In 2008, a videographer from Appalachian joined our expedition to New Zealand to document the experience and to share the impact these experiences have on the students who participate.  The images and words of the students captured in this brief documentary communicate far more than I can, so enjoy!

Part 1 :: Outdoor Programs in New Zealand

Part 2 :: Outdoor Programs in New Zealand

Part 3 :: Outdoor Programs in New Zealand

14th Annual Banff Mountain Film Festival Trailer

The trailer for this year’s Banff Mountain Film Festival is up! Wow, the films this year look so awesome!

The tour is scheduled to be in Boone March 26 – 27, with the films showing at 7:30 pm at Farthing Auditorium on the campus of Appalachian State University. Tickets are currently on sale at Farthing Auditorium and Footsloggers in Downtown Boone for $7 (students) and $9 (all others). Hope to see you there!

7th Annual AMPC Finalists Announced

We have been receiving several inquiries from this year’s participants in the AMPC about whether or not finalists have been chosen. Personally, I can understand the anxious emails and phone calls since being a finalist in the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition carries a lot of prestige and honor. The competition has grown tremendously since 2004.

No End in Sight (Jessica Maceda), 7th Annual AMPC Finalist - Blue Ridge Parkway Vistas
No End in Sight (Jessica Maceda), 7th Annual AMPC Finalist – Blue Ridge Parkway Vistas

The judges reviewed over 1100 images, a record-setting total this year. I wonder if the judges’ eyeballs wanted to go “plop plop” at the end of the day! Below is a table listing the 47 images that make up this year’s final selections. These 47 images were submitted by 37 photographers, so you can see how talented some of the photographers were to be chosen more than once!

7th Annual AMPC Finalists

Adventure :: Imagery depicting mountain sports such as climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, etc.
Scott Hotaling “Going Big”
Lynn Willis “Tent Nestled Atop the Chimneys in Liville Gorge”
Eric Heistand “Appalachianeering”
“White Snake”
Bill Gozansky “Lazy Day By the River”
Blue Ridge Parkway Share the Journey® – Picnicking :: A rotating category each year with a different theme.
Dale King “The Lost Table”
Heather Wolf Turner “Trees in my Chardonnay”
Blue Ridge Parkway Vistas :: Scenic imagery capturing the natural and/or cultural beauty of the Blue Ridge Parkway that may include landmarks as well as geological highlights.
Bob Peterson “Swimming Leaves on Wilson Creek”
Jessica Maceda “No End In Sight”
Dale King “Leave Only Footprints”
Rob Travis “Shadow Lines at Pounding Mill”
Eric Heistand “Winter at Linn Cove”
Steven McBride “Cowee Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway”
Marty Hulsebos “Sunset from the Parkway”
Culture :: Imagery depicting the people, their customs, traditions, architecture, and ways of life unique to the Southern Appalachian region.
Colby Rabon “Rooftop”
Andi Gelsthorpe “On the Farm”
Heather Wolf Turner “Pig Pickin'”
Amie Jo Platt “Porch Pickin’ in the Orchard”
Tommy Penick “Pushing the Christmas Tree Bailer”
Logan Fields “Cayenne Hands”
Toril Lavender “Wrestle”
Ian Mahathey “Untitled”
William Haun “Local Color”
Our Ecological Footprint :: Imagery documenting environmental concerns in Central and Southern Appalachia. 
Lynne Townsend “Mourning Has Broken”
J.K. York “Coal Kills”
Lonnie Webster “Logging with a Light Footprint”
Eric Heistand “New Hope on the Doe River”
Jerry D. Greer “Coal Fly Ash Sludge Disaster”
Dan Smith “SiegeScalp”
Jeff Hallyburton “Safety First”
Flora and Fauna :: Imagery of plants and animals common to the Southern Appalachians.
Tommy White “Path to Enlightenment”
Eric Heistand “Flight of the Bumblebee”
Skip Sickler “Orange Mushroom and Haircap Moss”
Bill Gozansky “Windswept Grasses”
Maren Robinson “Teeth”
Dana Warren “Bickering Buntings”
Beth Dyer “Oh, Deer!”
Landscape :: Scenic imagery capturing the rich diversity and natural beauty of the Southern Appalachian region.
Scott Hotaling “Winter Gold”
“Evolution River”
Ian Riley “Winter Wonderland”
Nicholas DAmato “Hanging Rock Sunset”
Eric Heistand “Wonder Light”
Jackie Evans “Sunset on Round Bald”
Jack Christfield “Estatoe Falls”
Jon D. Bowman “Late September, Graveyard Fields”
Sharon Larson “After the Ice Storm”
Kent Kessinger “Waterfalls, Butterflys and Friends”

Please join the AMPC organizers and sponsors in congratulating this year’s finalists of the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition—all of you deserve lots of applause! Remember, the images for this year’s group are posted in our AMPC archives. This night also marks the opening of the AMPC Exhibition at the Mezzanine Gallery in the Turchin Center on the Appalachian State University campus.

To all of this year’s participants: thank you for your support and participation. Together all of you keep raising the bar.

7th Annual AMPC Judges Announced

Part of the excitement for me personally is finding out who this year’s judges are going to be for the Appalachian Mountain Photography Competition. I took a moment to speak with each of them so that we can all get to know them a little better.

Jamie Goodman

Jamie currently serves as Communications Coordinator for Appalachian Voices – and if you’ve been keeping up with this blog, you already know that Appalachian Voices is the sponsor for the category “Our Ecological Footprint.” A perfect sponsorship, if you ask me, and will hopefully bring more awareness to this often overlooked category in the competition.

As the Communications Coordinator, Jamie oversees the organization’s communication efforts, including print and online publications. As with any non-profit organization, however, you can imagine just how many other hats Jamie wears on any given day.

I spoke with Jamie about the upcoming judging process, and how she was feeling about being a judge. She said:

I’m really excited to see all of the submissions this year. We have an amazing amount of talented photographers in the area.

I’ve been following the competition since its beginning, and I’ve noticed the disparity between the submissions for the environment category, and the true purpose of the category. With Appalachian Voice’s involvement, I feel that more attention will be brought to the environmental threats the Appalachian Mountains are currently facing.”

Jamie, I couldn’t agree more!

Troy Tuttle

As the Senior Photographer for Appalachian State University for the last 10 years, Troy has won numerous awards for his photography. His images have even been accepted into the photographic collection of the Smithsonian Museum of American History. Unfortunately, Troy doesn’t have a website to showcase his work, which is a shame really, because I’ve seen it and I gotta tell you guys, it’s amazing. (hey Troy, get a website!)

I asked Troy about what he looks forward to the most as being a judge this year:

I was a judge the first year of the competition, and I’m really impressed by how far the competition has come, from the participation to the increasing quality of the photography.

I’m looking forward to seeing what the community is doing, and how they see the area. I’m not a nature photographer – more of a studio photographer – but I appreciate it a lot. It’s the idea of waiting for that perfect moment.”

Katie Langley

Katie brings a journalistic style of photography to the world, and she has found success in the highly competitive world of portraiture photography. Katie stands out as an artistic wedding photographer, who’s not afraid to bring a special and unique perspective to a person’s special day.

I had a good time laughing with her about how you couldn’t pay me a million dollars to be a wedding photographer. Too much stress and all. She just laughed and said she gets that a lot.

When I asked her about what she looks forward to the most with being a judge this year, she said:

Seeing all the talent. There are so many talented photographers in this area, professional and amateur, and that’s just based on seeing last year’s winners.

I’m really looking forward to seeing all of the creative submissions this year. It’s so interesting to me to see how people can see the same things so differently. As a first time judge, I am anxious to see the High Country and surrounding Appalachian Mountains through the eyes of other artists.”

Every year the quality of the photography increases, so my heart goes out to the judges this year as they take on a very daunting task of narrowing down nearly a thousand entries to a few dozen.

Good luck to everyone this year!