Casey VanDerGraaf says he was surprised when he got a call from the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) last fall.
Now a freshman at Lake Orion High School, VanDerGraaf had submitted a turkey hunting patch design for extra credit in science class nearly a year ago, and then promptly forgot about it.
But NWTF hadn’t forgotten.
‘I got a call that said I won it,? said the 15-year-old, also getting a $100 prize.
The federation used to offer patches to wild turkey hunters in exchange for a feather in an attempt to track populations. Now, NWTF simply sells the patches as a collector’s item to raise funds.
And to patch collectors, VanDerGraaf was an instant celebrity. At a banquet in Big Rapids earlier this month, NWTF honored the LOHS student. Afterward, collectors flocked to him for an autographed patch.
VanDerGraaf said his fifteen minutes of fame was ‘pretty cool.?
He noted inspiration for the patch came from a turkey fan, given to him by his grandfather. Though VanDerGraaf, also a hunter, says he prefers bows to his grandpa’s guns.
‘So usually, we’re at the opposite end of the field,? he said.
VanDerGraaf added that he also enjoys golf, baseball, basketball, playing guitar, ice fishing and sledding.
‘I think people should start doing more outdoorsy things,? he said. ‘We do a lot of ice fishing and hunting ? we’re always outdoors.?
In looking to the future, the highschooler says he wants to be a graphic artist or technical illustrator, like his dad, Jon.
According to his dad, VanDerGraaf can ‘draw a large mouth bass, just like that,? and has tremendous talent.
In fact, VanDerGraaf’s quick drawing abilities may have earned him the winning design.
‘I remember what [the original] looked like and it didn’t look like that patch,? said his dad. ‘Casey turned around and changed the whole thing in fourth hour, right before he had to turn it in.?
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Promoting the National Wild Turkey Federation’s (NWTF) patch contest, teaching about living with white tail deer, reading from Sand County Almanac, raising salmon in class, doing a stream monitoring day, raising pheasants from eggs to chicks, canoeing in the Huron River, coordinating a national archery program in Lake Orion middle schools and building a pond with stream, waterfall and native wildflowers features ? the list scratches the surface of what Waldon Middle School science teacher Jon Gray does in the way of conservation and education.
Which is why NWTF awarded Gray the Educator of the Year award along with a $1,000 grant.
He was also Casey VanDerGraaf’s former teacher. Casey’s father, Jon VanDerGraaf, said ‘I hope [Gray] was not modest? in listing his achievements and contributions, noting that Gray very much deserved the award.
A police officer for 20 years in Bloomfield, Gray says he found his second calling in teaching science.
‘First and foremost, I think it’s important that young kids have an appreciation for the environment,? he said. ‘We’re losing kids from not having that experience, going out and just spending a day in the woods.?
In an effort to ‘get kids connected with their environment and realize what’s going on,? Gray sends students out with a video camera and instructions to tape something in their natural environment.
‘It’s amazing when they’ll bring back the camera at the end of the week and say ‘I couldn’t find anything to video tape.??
A hunter and conservationalist himself, Gray says he uses NWTF material in the classroom often because the foundation values those same things.
‘I’ve always spent time in the outdoors and continue to,? he said. ‘I practice what I preach, basically. I’m sure that’s reflected in the classroom.?