A 16-year-old Mercer Island High School artist, Jingyi “Alana” Yang, received multiple awards this month in the annual Art of Conservation Fish Art Contest, sponsored by the conservation group Wildlife Forever. Her painting showed an Arctic char in its natural cold-water surroundings.
Alana said she was inspired to paint the colorful fish during a family trip to Alaska, where a tour guide told her about the unique Arctic char, a migratory fish related to salmon and trout that resides in the northern regions of the world. Arctic char by Alana Yang, winner of several awards, including second-place in national competition (click to enlarge) // Image: Wildlife Forever
“I thought it was really cool, and I wanted to showcase this fish, making sure that water was part of the conversation,” she said of her acrylic painting (top left and right). “I also wanted to show what was going on underneath and outside the water.”
Alana’s artwork was honored with a second-place award for grades 10-12 among all the entries nationally and internationally. Her piece also took first place in the Migratory Fish Division for grades 7-12 and first place in the Western Native Trout Division for grades 10-12. In the state-level competition, she took top honors among Washington state artists in the grade 10-12 category. Alana is a junior this year.
In a related writing category in the contest, Alana’s one-page essay on the importance of water was judged the best among grades 10-12 in the Fish Habitat Writing Awards.
Another Washington state winner in the national contest is Celine Min, who took second place in the Western Native Trout Division and second place to Alana among Washington state entries for grades 10-12 (top right and below). Contest organizers were unable to connect me with Celine or provide additional information. Arctic char by Celine Min, second-place winner in Washington state. // Image: Wildlife Forever
The Best of Show Award went to Sehyun Choi, a Virginia high school student who painted an Atlantic tarpon. A third-grade artist, Lusia Gu of Massachusetts, took the Smile Award, which was “created to celebrate one artist’s unique perspective on fish” and “given to the student whose piece makes the judges ‘smile’ inside and out,” according to contest rules. See Wildlife Forever’s contest page for all the winning pictures.
The art contest, created to encourage young people to think about fish, fishing and the environment, received more than 4,000 entries from 48 states and 43 countries.
“Art helps to build the foundation for youth development,” said Pat Conzemius, president and CEO of Wildlife Forever. “Through the Fish Art Program, young people learn the value of our natural resources and their role in protecting it. The artwork this year was incredible, showcasing world-class talent and future conservation leaders.”
An international panel of distinguished judges utilized an innovative online platform to select this year’s winners, according to Conzemius. Atlantic tarpon by Sehyun Choi of Virginia, Best-of-Show award winner in the Art of Conservation Fish Art Contest (click to enlarge) // Image: Wildlife Forever
Alana Yang, daughter of Jun Yang and Yan Hong of Mercer Island, said she learned of the contest from her art teacher, from whom she takes private lessons. Alana also is interested in music. She plays the clarinet and was named to this year’s All-State Band/Orchestra by the Washington Music Educators Association (Mercer Island Reporter).
Alana said she is passionate about the environment and was glad she could combine her interests.
“In terms of career plans, I want to go into marine biology or environmental science,” she said. I would like to work around water, doing research or maybe advocacy.” Art of Conservation Fish Art Contest
State winners, Washington state First place This clever portrait of a Garibaldi earned Virginia third-grader Bohan Jin the “Smile Award” in the Art of Conservation Fish Art Contest. (Click to enlarge) // Image: Wildlife Forever
Agnes Resa Martin Parambeth, K-3 grade, Atlantic blue marlin
Mia West, 4-6 grade, Atlantic sailfish
Diane Park, 7-9 grade, rainbow trout
Jingyi “Alana” Yang, 10-12 grade, Arctic char Second place
Nolan Pan, K-3 grade, Atlantic blue marlin
Hayool Park, 7-9 grade, Arctic char
Celine Min, 10-12 grade, Arctic char Third place
Rita Lorik, K-3 grade, Russian sturgeon
Megan Kassebaum, 7-9 grade, bonytail chub
Junho Yeo, 10-12 grade, Arctic char Atlantic sailfish by Mia West was the first-place winner in Washington state among 4-6 grades. (Click to enlarge) // Image: Wildlife Forever Excerpt from Alana Yang’s essay Clean water is vital to our health; in fact, all living organisms rely on water. This is especially true for the life forms that live in the water. Through bioaccumulation, the gradual build-up of harmful substances in an organism… Our pollution to the waters impacts virtually every part of our ecosystem…
If we want to preserve our cultures for the next generation, we need to ensure that these water bodies are protected…
How, you may ask, should we, as ordinary people, preserve our water? While governmental actions like setting sustainability limits, creating animal conservation programs, assessing and improving water quality, and much more, there are more that we can do. By actively using less water, taking care of runoff, properly disposing of chemicals and medicine, you and I can contribute. Let’s not only do it for ourselves but also for the future generations and those who share the same home as we do.
A 16-year-old Mercer Island High School artist, Jingyi “Alana” Yang, received multiple awards this month in the annual Art of Conservation Fish Art Contest, sponsored by the conservation group Wildlife Forever. Her painting showed an Arctic char in its natural cold-water surroundings.
Alana said she was inspired to paint the colorful fish during a family trip to Alaska, where a tour guide told her about the unique Arctic char, a migratory fish related to salmon and trout that resides in the northern regions of the world. Arctic char by Alana Yang, winner of several awards, including second-place in national competition (click to enlarge) // Image: Wildlife Forever
“I thought it was really cool, and I wanted to showcase this fish, making sure that water was part of the conversation,” she said of her acrylic painting (top left and right). “I also wanted to show what was going on underneath and outside the water.”
Alana’s artwork was honored with a second-place award for grades 10-12 among all the entries nationally and internationally. Her piece also took first place in the Migratory Fish Division for grades 7-12 and first place in the Western Native Trout Division for grades 10-12. In the state-level competition, she took top honors among Washington state artists in the grade 10-12 category. Alana is a junior this year.
In a related writing category in the contest, Alana’s one-page essay on the importance of water was judged the best among grades 10-12 in the Fish Habitat Writing Awards.
Another Washington state winner in the national contest is Celine Min, who took second place in the Western Native Trout Division and second place to Alana among Washington state entries for grades 10-12 (top right and below). Contest organizers were unable to connect me with Celine or provide additional information. Arctic char by Celine Min, second-place winner in Washington state. // Image: Wildlife Forever
The Best of Show Award went to Sehyun Choi, a Virginia high school student who painted an Atlantic tarpon. A third-grade artist, Lusia Gu of Massachusetts, took the Smile Award, which was “created to celebrate one artist’s unique perspective on fish” and “given to the student whose piece makes the judges ‘smile’ inside and out,” according to contest rules. See Wildlife Forever’s contest page for all the winning pictures.
The art contest, created to encourage young people to think about fish, fishing and the environment, received more than 4,000 entries from 48 states and 43 countries.
“Art helps to build the foundation for youth development,” said Pat Conzemius, president and CEO of Wildlife Forever. “Through the Fish Art Program, young people learn the value of our natural resources and their role in protecting it. The artwork this year was incredible, showcasing world-class talent and future conservation leaders.”
An international panel of distinguished judges utilized an innovative online platform to select this year’s winners, according to Conzemius. Atlantic tarpon by Sehyun Choi of Virginia, Best-of-Show award winner in the Art of Conservation Fish Art Contest (click to enlarge) // Image: Wildlife Forever
Alana Yang, daughter of Jun Yang and Yan Hong of Mercer Island, said she learned of the contest from her art teacher, from whom she takes private lessons. Alana also is interested in music. She plays the clarinet and was named to this year’s All-State Band/Orchestra by the Washington Music Educators Association (Mercer Island Reporter).
Alana said she is passionate about the environment and was glad she could combine her interests.
“In terms of career plans, I want to go into marine biology or environmental science,” she said. I would like to work around water, doing research or maybe advocacy.” Art of Conservation Fish Art Contest
State winners, Washington state First place This clever portrait of a Garibaldi earned Virginia third-grader Bohan Jin the “Smile Award” in the Art of Conservation Fish Art Contest. (Click to enlarge) // Image: Wildlife Forever
Agnes Resa Martin Parambeth, K-3 grade, Atlantic blue marlin
Mia West, 4-6 grade, Atlantic sailfish
Diane Park, 7-9 grade, rainbow trout
Jingyi “Alana” Yang, 10-12 grade, Arctic char Second place
Nolan Pan, K-3 grade, Atlantic blue marlin
Hayool Park, 7-9 grade, Arctic char
Celine Min, 10-12 grade, Arctic char Third place
Rita Lorik, K-3 grade, Russian sturgeon
Megan Kassebaum, 7-9 grade, bonytail chub
Junho Yeo, 10-12 grade, Arctic char Atlantic sailfish by Mia West was the first-place winner in Washington state among 4-6 grades. (Click to enlarge) // Image: Wildlife Forever Excerpt from Alana Yang’s essay Clean water is vital to our health; in fact, all living organisms rely on water. This is especially true for the life forms that live in the water. Through bioaccumulation, the gradual build-up of harmful substances in an organism… Our pollution to the waters impacts virtually every part of our ecosystem…
If we want to preserve our cultures for the next generation, we need to ensure that these water bodies are protected…
How, you may ask, should we, as ordinary people, preserve our water? While governmental actions like setting sustainability limits, creating animal conservation programs, assessing and improving water quality, and much more, there are more that we can do. By actively using less water, taking care of runoff, properly disposing of chemicals and medicine, you and I can contribute. Let’s not only do it for ourselves but also for the future generations and those who share the same home as we do.
For newcomers to the Puget Sound region — or anyone who wishes to learn about salmon — check out the new video by my friend and former colleague Josh Farley of the Kitsap Sun.
Like many print journalists who have expanded into multimedia, Josh became recognized for his quick-hit news reports. Especially popular was his weekly video “Bremerton Beat Blast,” in which he counted down the top stories of the week in Kitsap County. Now, with a goal of going much deeper into regional topics, he has launched a new series he is calling “Tales of the Sound.”
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His video “Secrets of the Salmon” (first on this page) features some of the important salmon locations in Puget Sound, including the Big Beef Creek Research Station, a so-called “index stream” used for estimating the number of chum and coho salmon returning to all of Hood Canal. Along the way, he interviews some of the interesting people involved in habitat restoration projects.
“Secrets of the Salmon” is actually the second video in “Tales of the Sound,” a partnership between Josh, the writer and moderator, and producer Jon Kozak, who shared the filming and did all the editing. The goal, Josh says, is to create a series of videos that will remain relevant and informative over time.
The first video provides a geological lesson featuring the worn-down and rounded-over peaks of Green and Gold Mountains near my own home. These state-owned lands are great for short hikes, as Josh explains in a story that accompanies the first video. He actually went out and found the so-called “tin mine” that I have heard about for many years but never realized that the mine was more like an unrealized fantasy.
Josh and Jon have drawn upon revealing aerial footage from Kitsap Sky View LLC to help tell these stories. The amount of work that goes into these productions is fairly remarkable for a full-time newspaper reporter plus a part-time videographer.
[iframe align=”right” width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://uw-media.kitsapsun.com/embed/video/5828862002?placement=snow-embed”%5D
“As you know, we work under crazy deadlines,” Josh noted, “but it is nice to be able to do something like this on the side.”
I was pleasantly surprised and happy to hear that my stories and blog posts provided some direction for Josh when it came to figuring out which experts hold the secrets to the salmon and should be included in his video.
Josh is nothing if not enthusiastic, and that’s one thing I love about him. Future videos, he said, may focus on the Suquamish Tribe, its past and present, and the historical mosquito fleet ferry system.
He is especially looking forward to telling the story of the Navy’s ballistic missile submarines. If you drive past the Bangor installation — part of Naval Base Kitsap and home to the Trident nuclear submarines — you will be in vicinity of the largest deployment of nuclear weapons in the U.S., Josh told me. I would tell you more about his video concept, but I’d better not steal his thunder.
Josh says he is open to other ideas, especially if he can find a Kitsap connection. Feel free to write him at josh.farley@kitsapsun.com.
I’m impressed with artists who combine their passion for nature with a message about protecting the environment and how we all have a role to play.
This week, I’d like to share winning artwork from two recent contests. One is a poster competition inspired by the “We are Puget Sound” (Water Ways) book and campaign. The other is a project that involves placing whimsical pictures of sea life on storm drains in Kitsap County.
The “We are Puget Sound” poster contest, which received dozens of entries from King County residents, was sponsored by the King County Library System in collaboration with Braided River (a nonprofit conservation arm of Mountaineers Books) and the Washington Environmental Council. Judging was done by staff members from the three groups.
“We love this collaborative way to express art through peoples’ experiences and connections with places they love,” said Mindy Roberts, WEC Puget Sound Program Director and contributing author of “We Are Puget Sound” in a news release. “Getting folks to explore and enjoy the Puget Sound through their own eyes and hearts is a perfect way to get them engaged.”
See all nine winning posters on the KCLS website. Kathryn Chong
Kathryn “Elle” Chong, 11, is one of the youngest winners in the “We are Puget Sound” poster contest. She has been attending Sartori Elementary School, a “STEM” school in Renton, and will soon begin in-home-learning sessions at Nelson Middle School. By artist Katherine “Elle” Chong, a winner in the “We are Puget Sound” poster contest
I was taken by both the design and execution of Elle’s picture, which shows a hand holding a watering can feeding the clouds as they rain down upon Puget Sound, which is shown with some of its iconic features: killer whale along with Seattle’s Space Needle, Pike Place Market and Great Wheel.
“I have been doing art since I could hold a pencil, which was before I was 1 year old,” Elle told me in an email. “I hope to be a graphic designer to draw cartoons, movies or video games and a mechanical engineer like my grandfather.”
The inspiration for her drawing came from watching her mom watering plants and realizing that rain is part of our identity in Western Washington.
Elle used a professional grade of fiber-enhanced (construction) paper and Marabu brand of art crayons — “softer, more-easily-flowing crayons,” she explained, which allowed her to achieve the unusual texture in her piece.
“I was going for a relief effect on the clouds,” she told me. “I slowly made continuous circles around the paper until I was happy how it looked, trying to get it to look light and fluffy. It really gave me a challenge, and it was kind of frustrating at first, but with each draft I saw improvement. And, in the end, it was really fun!”
In addition to her interest in art, Elle is active in a long list sports and other activities. She enjoys music and was introduced to the Suzuki method of violin instruction at the age of 4. Natalie Johnson
A teenage winner in the “We are Puget Sound” poster contest is Natalie Johnson, 17, of Thomas Jefferson High School in Federal Way. By artist Natalie Johnson, a winner in the “We are Puget Sound” poster contest
Natalie created her picture of enriched sea and sky in what she calls a layered-art form. “I honestly don’t know what it’s actually called,” she said in an email. “I haven’t seen it displayed anywhere; I just tend to make cartoonish art without much shadowing/highlighting for depth. Once I realized I could do just that without draining ink from my pens, I started to favor this layered-paper style.
“One great thing about cutting paper instead of drawing: no eraser marks or smudges!” she noted. “If the scissors slip, you just recut. The only issue is teeny-tiny paper shreds all over the floor.
“Layered art is also pretty interesting because of the shadows; photographing it is like a whole different artistic process on top of the cutting and pasting.”
Her winning picture is like a collage of some of her earliest memories of Puget Sound, she told me. “The kite, octopus, boat, birds, they’re all little mementos.”
Natalie says she actually prefers film and photography to layered art, and she recently launched a photography business called Punctilious Portraiture. She has offered senior-portrait services to low-income students at her school. Check out the story by Olivia Sullivan in the Federal Way Mirror.
Natalie said she has lined up more than 20 senior photo shoots and is also working on a book featuring portraits of bees. She has signed up for her first film class at Shoreline Community College, having worked on a few short claymation videos and silent films.
Oddly enough, Natalie’s feelings about Puget Sound are rather mixed. “While I appreciate the wonderful people who inhabit the Puget Sound area, and I love the sea, I really don’t like Washington (weather) very much. Its seasons feel so mild and eternally dreary.”
She admits that her feelings may be the result of knowing this place too well. As she explores other parts of the U.S. and the world, she may acquire a new appreciation for this place she first called home. April Hiller
One of the adult winners in the “We are Puget Sound” contest is April Hiller, a Seattle resident who was born and raised in Western Washington, living in various places around Puget Sound. By artist April Hiller, a winner in the “We are Puget Sound” poster contest
Her acrylic painting involves a mountain skyline with Puget Sound in hues of blue and green. The picture includes a flying bald eagle, a pod of killer whales and two harbor seals looking in from the lower right corner.
“Some of my fondest memories are of playing on the beach all day, swimming, boating, fishing camping and hiking,” April told me in an email. “Puget Sound is an amazing place to live. Hopefully, we can protect it for future generations.”
April came from a large family of artistic, nature-loving folks, she said. Now a mother of four in her early 50s, she has three grandchildren and another on the way.
Always creative, April said she has tried sewing, writing, making jewelry and doing other crafts. Her love of music includes singing and songwriting. Only recently, however, has she begun to think of herself as an artist.
“A few years ago, I had some health issues, surgery and a slow recovery, unable to work for several months,” she said. “During this time, I was feeling frustrated and bored. I started doing crafts again, watching YouTube for inspiration, following different artists. I made more intricate cards, painted rocks, learned to sew bags, did mixed media art, used spray inks,
acrylic paint, fun papers, stencils, etc.
“Being creative had an amazing effect on me,” she continued. “It lifted my spirits and helped me heal. Over the last couple of years I’ve been painting more with acrylics, mostly making gifts for family.”
One of her first attempts was a painting of Mount Rainier and Puget Sound as seen from Bainbridge Island. She followed with other landscapes before her fiancé challenged her to paint a bird, then colorful fish, “so I continued pushing my way out of my comfort zone …
“I love sitting on my deck, watching the two eagles that frequently fly by and perch on the trees in front of my house,” she said. “Mount Rainier is so beautiful, whether up close walking on the trails or in the distance across the water. It’s always exciting to see orca whales and harbor seals from the beach.
“Looking at photos and watching videos of other artists painting whales, clouds, etc., helped me to combine some of my favorite things into one painting. What an honor that others appreciate my efforts.” Storm drain paintings
A three-year-long public art project in Kitsap County is designed to help people understand how stormwater on their local streets can affect water quality in the streams and ultimately in Puget Sound. Storm drain art by Kisha Baggs
This year, whimsical images of sea life will be painted on prominent storm drains in Manchester in South Kitsap, where they can be viewed by people passing by.
“Every brush stroke sends a message,” said Michelle Perdue, Stormwater Program manager for Kitsap County Public Works in a news release. “What goes down the drain connects directly into our natural waterways. Pollutants that go in the drains end up in our waterways and affect water quality, habitat and wildlife.
“The Manchester community is the perfect location for this project, with its walkable streets, enthusiastic community response and direct connection to our natural waterways,” she added.
This year, public aspects of the art contest were reduced because of the pandemic, but more than 600 votes were cast online to select two of the three winners, which will be painted on storm drains in Manchester in South Kitsap.
Two local artists, Kisha Baggs of Bremerton and Sarah Olson of Port Orchard, provided five pictures for the voting. See all five on the webpage for the art project. Storm drain art by Sarah Olson
The “People’s Choice” awards went to two designs — a family of otters and a Dungeness crab, both by Sarah — while the “County Commissioner’s Choice” was a piece depicting a jellyfish by Kisha.
“There are a lot of people who launch (their boats) at Manchester to go crabbing for Dungeness Crab,” Sarah said, explaining her inspiration for the crab picture. “After doing research on what they looked like alive, I was surprised that they were almost purple. I have mostly only seen them cooked where they are so much redder!”
This is the second of three years of the storm drain art project. Last year, the artwork adorned storm drains in Keyport in North Kitsap. Next year, the project will move to Central Kitsap, tentatively Old Town Silverdale, according to Kym Pleger, stormwater education and outreach coordinator for Kitsap County Public Works.
Kym said the success of the art project has attracted the interest of other communities, including Federal Way and Port Angeles, which may start their own events next year.
Folks who care about salmon, killer whales and the Puget Sound ecosystem will get a chance to participate in the annual discussion known as Puget Sound Day on the Hill. But this year the event will be called “2020 Virtual Puget Sound Days on the Hill,” as the talks go online.
Online meetings with Washington’s congressional lawmakers will be held each Friday in June. Putting the meetings online will allow anyone interested to listen to the discussion, which generally focuses on upcoming legislation and funding for Puget Sound. Loved by some and hated by others, the annual trip to Washington, D.C., won’t happen this year.
“For me, the greatest advantage of doing this online is that it opens up the meetings to hundreds if not thousands of people,” said Laura Blackmore, executive director of the Puget Sound Partnership. “The cost of traveling to Washington, D.C, and staying in hotels is expensive.”
The meetings will be trimmed down substantially, to be sure, and they won’t include small-group meetings in which delegates from state and county governments, Indian tribes, environmental groups and others explain their programs and seek specific support. Also missing will be meetings with members of Congress and their staffs from other states as well as separate meetings with top officials from federal agencies focused on natural resources.
The main focus of these upcoming meetings, which require 24-hour-advance registration, will involve discussions with the senators and representatives elected to Congress. Besides the normal funding issues, a major topic of discussion will be anticipated recovery and jobs programs related to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Denise Ross, executive assistant for the Partnership.
“We want to emphasize how important Puget Sound recovery is and how natural resources can play a role in jobs recovery,” she told me.
Reps. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, and Denny Heck, D-Olympia, have agreed to kick off the meetings next Friday at 1 p.m. As of today, participants in the other meetings have not been scheduled, but organizers hope to get three officials for each successive meeting, which will continue at least until the end of the month.
Last year, I joined a delegation of more than 70 people who traveled to Washington, D.C., to share information about Puget Sound. The Democratic lawmakers, most of whom have connections to Puget Sound, met with the Puget Sound delegation as well as a separate group focused on salmon. The Eastern Washington Republicans were not involved, but I would like to hear their positions on Puget Sound.
I don’t know that this year’s meeting will be as effective when it comes to lobbying, but it will be a chance for more people to understand the inner workings of Congress when it comes to funding and legislation.
Here are the blog posts I wrote from last year’s Day on the Hill:
Jon Bridgman, communications manager for the Partnership, said this year’s meeting was pulled together quickly over the past two weeks after the normal meeting was canceled because of the pandemic.
“We are sort of figuring this out as we go, and we can adjust things as needed,” he said.
If the “Day on the Hill” returns to Washington, D.C., next year, considerable thought will be given about how to provide online access, perhaps with a live Facebook feed, Jon told me.
For those interested, a key to the meetings will be to make sure to register 24 hours in advance. For next Friday’s meeting, that means signing up by 1 p.m. Thursday by going to the registration page.
Student artists from across the country are calling attention to the hazards of human trash that washes into the ocean, killing sea creatures large and small. Each year, hundreds of young artists submit colorful drawings and paintings in the annual Marine Debris Art Contest, sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Program. By Krishi P., grade 6, South Carolina / NOAA Marine Debris Art Contest
I’ve selected a few of my favorite pictures for this page, including one from a young Seattle artist, but you can see all 13 winning entries on the Art Contest Winners page. To enlarge, click on the picture and then the “X” in the upper right corner.
The winning drawings will be featured in an upcoming calendar for the year 2021, with one picture on the cover and one for each month of the year. Check back on the art contest website before the end of the year to download next year’s calendar. Last year’s winners are featured on the 2020 calendar (PDF 39.7 mb), now available for download.
The contest is open to students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. This year a third-grader from Washington state was listed among the winners with a drawing of a narwhal, a whale with a long, spherical tusk.
The artist, Sabina Westhagen of Seattle, wrote this message, “Narwals are cute, so don’t pollute.” Sabina is the daughter of Suzanna and Peter Westhagen. By Sabina Westhagen, grade 3, Seattle / NOAA Marine Debris Art Contest
“Sabina says she chose to draw a Narwhal because she has loved reading the book series, ‘Narwhal and Jelly’ by Ben Clanton,” her mother told me in an email. “She was very excited to be a chosen winner of the annual Marine Debris Art Contest. However, she was disappointed to notice she had spelled Narwhal incorrectly on her drawing without realizing it! Luckily, most people don’t know how to spell Narwhal either.”
I confess that I did not notice the misspelling until Suzanna mentioned it. I was pleased to hear that Sabina loves science and hopes to become a scientist. I’m sure she was influenced by her grandfather, Charles Eaton, a marine biologist, as well as her grandmother, Catherine Eaton Skinner, a professional artist.
As with many entries, Sabina and her parents learned about the art contest came from Sabina’s teacher, Dana Zulauf of The Bush School, an independent school in Seattle. Third-grade students at the school focus on ocean issues for an entire year as part of their science studies. By Alice H., grade 2, Massachusetts / NOAA Marine Debris Art Contest
The goal of the contest is for students to learn about the worldwide problem of marine debris and to use their power of artistic expression to raise awareness. Winners are chosen for their creativity, artistic presentation, relevance to theme, and how thoroughly the students have explained how marine debris affects the ocean and what people can do to help. Entries are normally submitted in October.
“The winning artwork is featured in a calendar, which will help to remind us of the importance of being responsible stewards of the ocean, not just on Earth Day, but every day,” states an entry in the Marine Debris Blog.
I’ve been promoting this contest and showing off the student artwork in this blog since the beginning, when the top winner was Araminta “Minty” Little, a seventh grader at Fairview Junior High School in Central Kitsap. See Minty’s picture of an octopus clutching lost junk in Water Ways, March 18, 2013.
I do wish that contest organizers would take the time to obtain whatever permissions are necessary so that that most of the winners can be recognized with their full names, schools and hometowns. I was able to learn about Minty because her school proudly informed me of her accomplishment. I learned about Sabina after asking organizers to contact Sabina’s parents on my behalf.
The mission of NOAA’s Marine Debris Program is to investigate and prevent the adverse impacts of marine debris. The program includes regional marine debris efforts, research and outreach to local communities. The main webpage includes links to public information, scientific reports, funding opportunities and a blog about marine debris. Note: The information about Sabina Westhagen was added after the initial publication.
Student artists from across the country are calling attention to the hazards of human trash that washes into the ocean, killing sea creatures large and small. Each year, hundreds of young artists submit colorful drawings and paintings in the annual Marine Debris Art Contest, sponsored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Marine Debris Program. By Krishi P., grade 6, South Carolina / NOAA Marine Debris Art Contest
I’ve selected a few of my favorite pictures for this page, including one from a young Seattle artist, but you can see all 13 winning entries on the Art Contest Winners page. To enlarge, click on the picture and then the “X” in the upper right corner.
The winning drawings will be featured in an upcoming calendar for the year 2021, with one picture on the cover and one for each month of the year. Check back on the art contest website before the end of the year to download next year’s calendar. Last year’s winners are featured on the 2020 calendar (PDF 39.7 mb), now available for download.
The contest is open to students in grades kindergarten through eighth grade. This year a third-grader from Washington state was listed among the winners with a drawing of a narwhal, a whale with a long, spherical tusk.
The artist, Sabina Westhagen of Seattle, wrote this message, “Narwals are cute, so don’t pollute.” Sabina is the daughter of Suzanna and Peter Westhagen. By Sabina Westhagen, grade 3, Seattle / NOAA Marine Debris Art Contest
“Sabina says she chose to draw a Narwhal because she has loved reading the book series, ‘Narwhal and Jelly’ by Ben Clanton,” her mother told me in an email. “She was very excited to be a chosen winner of the annual Marine Debris Art Contest. However, she was disappointed to notice she had spelled Narwhal incorrectly on her drawing without realizing it! Luckily, most people don’t know how to spell Narwhal either.”
I confess that I did not notice the misspelling until Suzanna mentioned it. I was pleased to hear that Sabina loves science and hopes to become a scientist. I’m sure she was influenced by her grandfather, Charles Eaton, a marine biologist, as well as her grandmother, Catherine Eaton Skinner, a professional artist.
As with many entries, Sabina and her parents learned about the art contest came from Sabina’s teacher, Dana Zulauf of The Bush School, an independent school in Seattle. Third-grade students at the school focus on ocean issues for an entire year as part of their science studies. By Alice H., grade 2, Massachusetts / NOAA Marine Debris Art Contest
The goal of the contest is for students to learn about the worldwide problem of marine debris and to use their power of artistic expression to raise awareness. Winners are chosen for their creativity, artistic presentation, relevance to theme, and how thoroughly the students have explained how marine debris affects the ocean and what people can do to help. Entries are normally submitted in October.
“The winning artwork is featured in a calendar, which will help to remind us of the importance of being responsible stewards of the ocean, not just on Earth Day, but every day,” states an entry in the Marine Debris Blog.
I’ve been promoting this contest and showing off the student artwork in this blog since the beginning, when the top winner was Araminta “Minty” Little, a seventh grader at Fairview Junior High School in Central Kitsap. See Minty’s picture of an octopus clutching lost junk in Water Ways, March 18, 2013.
I do wish that contest organizers would take the time to obtain whatever permissions are necessary so that that most of the winners can be recognized with their full names, schools and hometowns. I was able to learn about Minty because her school proudly informed me of her accomplishment. I learned about Sabina after asking organizers to contact Sabina’s parents on my behalf.
The mission of NOAA’s Marine Debris Program is to investigate and prevent the adverse impacts of marine debris. The program includes regional marine debris efforts, research and outreach to local communities. The main webpage includes links to public information, scientific reports, funding opportunities and a blog about marine debris. Note: The information about Sabina Westhagen was added after the initial publication.
What do people really mean when they talk about the environment? A new podcast from the University of Washington Tacoma asks regular citizens a simple, but charged question: “What are the environmental challenges that are most important to you?” The answers to that question drive this engaging podcast in sometimes unexpected directions, from the environmental impacts of being homeless, to air quality, to wide-ranging discussions about environmental justice.
Voices Unbound is a unique blend of community researchers from the University of Washington Tacoma: A community nurse, an urban ecologist, an environmental policy analyst, an air and water scientist, and three undergraduate students interested in public health, medicine, and environmental education.
The podcast is funded by the University of Washington’s Earthlab with production support from the Puget Sound Institute and the Encyclopedia of Puget Sound. Visit the Voices Unbound website.
A new documentary featuring PSI collaborators Ed Kolodziej and Kathy Peter was selected to premiere at the 2019 Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) on Saturday, June 8.
The 70-minute documentary, “Engineering with Nature – An Ode to Water, Wood, and Stone” was directed by environmental filmmaker Shelly Solomon and is distributed through Leaping Frog Films. It describes a four-year effort by Seattle Public Utilities to restore Thornton Creek, Seattle’s largest and most urbanized stream with 18 miles of waterway and a 12-square-mile watershed. The once-polluted and neglected creek is becoming a flourishing home for spawning salmon. Read the full story at UW Tacoma News.
A new documentary featuring PSI collaborators Ed Kolodziej and Kathy Peter was selected to premiere at the 2019 Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) on Saturday, June 8.
The 70-minute documentary, “Engineering with Nature – An Ode to Water, Wood, and Stone” was directed by environmental filmmaker Shelly Solomon and is distributed through Leaping Frog Films. It describes a four-year effort by Seattle Public Utilities to restore Thornton Creek, Seattle’s largest and most urbanized stream with 18 miles of waterway and a 12-square-mile watershed. The once-polluted and neglected creek is becoming a flourishing home for spawning salmon. Read the full story at UW Tacoma News.