Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Scholarship

Scholarship Sponsored by Stuttgart Arkansas Chamber of Commerce

High school seniors are invited to participate in the Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest, a unique competition offering a total of $9,000 in college scholarships. This contest is open to all seniors, regardless of their post-secondary education plans, be it traditional college, trade school, or other educational and career opportunities.

Interested participants must provide a copy of their high school transcript and a valid ID at the time of registration. The competition is scheduled for Saturday, November 30, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. and will be held on the Main Street Stage adjacent to the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce. As part of the World’s Champion Duck Calling Contest, participants will be required to perform a Main Street duck calling routine to qualify.

The scholarship prizes are divided as follows: the first-place winner will receive $5,000, the second-place winner will receive $2,000, the third-place winner will receive $1,250, and the fourth-place winner will receive $750.

Since its inception in 1974, the Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest has awarded over $114,000 in scholarships to young duck callers. These recipients have gone on to attend 32 different colleges and universities across 13 states. The year 2024 marks the 50th anniversary of this esteemed competition.

Some of the past winners have attended prestigious institutions such as Arkansas Tech University, East Arkansas Community College, Arkansas State University, Iowa State University, Wisconsin University, University of Central Arkansas, UA Monticello, Southwest Tennessee Community College, Spartan School of Aeronautics, Mississippi State University, Louisiana Tech, and University of Arkansas.

The competition was established to honor the memory of Stuttgart’s legendary champion duck callers and duck call makers, Chick and Sophie Major. The first contest in 1974 awarded a single $500 scholarship to the winner. Over the years, funds for the scholarships have been raised through various means, including duck call sales, print sales, duck call pin sales, raffles, fish frys, hamburger cookouts, skeet and sporting clay shoots, donations, and memorials.

Those interested in supporting this unique scholarship opportunity are encouraged to make a donation to the Chick and Sophie Major Memorial Duck Calling Contest. Please contact committee members, Dixie Holt at (870) 364-2551 or Brenda Cahill at (501) 208-0949, bdcahills@aol.com for more information.