The Massachusetts Marine Educators (MME) and Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary have announced the winners of the 2012 K-12 Marine Art Contest, selected from nearly 800 entries.
Students in kindergarten through 12th grade were invited to submit their artistic interpretations of "Amazing Ocean Creatures of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary." Although most entries were from students in Massachusetts schools, students outside the state, the Peoples Republic of China and Kazakhstan also submitted artwork.
Separate divisions were established for elementary school (grades K-4), middle school (grades 5-8), high school (grades 9-12), scientific illustration (all grades) and computer graphics/photography (all grades). Computer graphics entrants were offered an alternative theme of "2012 - 20th Anniversary of Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary." Winning artwork from this division will be used to publicize upcoming sanctuary anniversary events.
Entries were evaluated by judges who work in marine conservation, education, professional art and graphic design. All entrants will receive a certificate of participation. Winners will receive award certificates and prizes that include cash awards, New England Aquarium passes, books, art supplies, and Adopt-a-Whale packages.
"The contest offers an ideal way to advance interdisciplinary studies in the classroom by using art as a vehicle for marine studies in science, history and language arts," said Jack Crowley, MME executive director. "At the high school level, student research on marine species has led to a collection of amazing creations from art classes. In younger grades, art projects reinforce lessons learned in science classes."
"One of the major goals of this program is to encourage students to learn more about marine species in their own backyard," said Anne Smrcina, MME board member, art contest director and education coordinator for Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary. "Not only do students begin to recognize the beauty and diversity of marine life off our coast, but the annual traveling exhibit of winning art educates the public, too."
Winning artwork will start touring this summer. In past years, the exhibit has visited the Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies, the J.F.K. Federal Building in Boston, Cape Cod National Seashore's Salt Pond Visitor Center, the Salem National Historic Site Visitor Center and NOAA Fisheries Northeast Regional Office in Gloucester.
This year MME established a special fund to award deserving seabird art in memory of Joseph McQuade, one of MME's original founding members. "Joe, a former science deptartment chair at Marblehead High School was a waterfowl artist, decoy collector, educator, sportsman and lifelong learner," Crowley said. "We are proud to be able to honor his memory and recognize talented student artists through this contest."
The annual art contest is sponsored by Massachusetts Marine Educators with co-sponsorship by Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, New England Aquarium, Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society and Stellwagen Alive. This year's judges included the staffs of Stellwagen Bank sanctuary and WDCS, MME Board of Directors, Sandra Faxon (artist) of Local Colors Gallery in Woods Hole, Dennis Huston (graphic designer) of Creative Resources Group in Plymouth, Nathalie Ward (children's book author), and Richard Wheeler - educator, conservationist and one of TIME Magazine's heroes of the planet.
Winning entries and all honorable mentions can be viewed online.
The 2012 winners by division are:
Elementary Art (grades k-4)
1st Place: Michael J., age 8, grade 3, Station Avenue Elementary School, So. Yarmouth. Tuna
2nd Place: Jason S., age 7, grade 1, Palatine, IL. White shark
3rd Place: Pei Z., age 7, grade 1, Yang Mythos Education, Shenzhen, China. Sea stars
4th Place: Xie M., age 9, grade 3, Yang Mythos Education, Shenzhen, China. Sea designs
5th Place: Oliver P., age 8, grade 2, Homeschool, E. Sandwich. Bird in flight
6th Place: Elijah R., age 7, grade 1, Centerville Elementary School, Beverly. Shark and prey
6th Place: Linlin S., age 8, grade 1, Yang Mythos International School, Jiangsu, China. Lobsters
6th Place: Perry P., age 10, grade 4, Lesley Ellis School, Arlington. Moon jelly
6th Place: Siying W., age 5, grade Preschool, Yang Mythos International School, Jiangsu, China. Whale
6th Place: Sophia P., age 9, grade 3, Southbrook Academy, Bridgewater. Patchwork turtle
Middle School Art (grades 5-8)
1st Place: Xuan C., age 13, grade 8, Jonas Clarke Middle School, Lexington. Lobster and cod
2nd Place: Maria G., age 13, grade 8, home school, Harwichport. Hermit crab collage
3rd Place: Erik Z., age 11, grade 5, Bridge School, Lexington. Horseshoe crab
4th Place: Helena S., age 13, grade 7, Jonas Clarke Middle School, Lexington. Loon
5th Place: Lijun W., age 13, grade 6, Yang Mythos International School, Jiangsu, China. Seabird on water
6th Place: Erin F., age 12, grade 6, Wampatuck Elementary School, Scituate. Puffin in flight
6th Place: Kolbe C., age 12, grade 6, home school, Achushnet. Mako shark
6th Place: Kristy C., age 13, grade 7, Charles S. Pierce Middle School, Milton. Squid
6th Place: Regina P., age 12, grade 6, home school, Stoneham. Atlantic white-sided dolphin
High School Art (grades 9-12)
1st Place: Keegan Gilmore, age 16, grade 10, Nauset Regional HS. Herring catch
2nd Place: Elisabeth Bowerman, age 16, grade 10, Falmouth HS. Humpbacks
3rd Place: Jessica Wong, age 17, grade 11, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional HS. Biodiversity
4th Place: Rebecca Andrews, age 16, grade 10, Dover-Sherborn Regional HS. Puffin with prey
5th Place: Julia Pearson, age 16, grade 10, Dover-Sherborn Regional HS. Great white shark
6th Place: Elizabeth Tosi, age 16, grade 10, Plymouth North HS. Sea scallop
6th Place: Emily Nickerson, age 14, grade 9, Plymouth South HS. Loggerhead turtle
6th Place: Gianna Salmas, age 17, grade 12, Falmouth HS. Moon snail
6th Place: Peter Negri, age 17, grade 11, Falmouth HS. American lobster
Scientific Illustration (all grades)
1st Place: Morgan O'Connell, age 16, grade 10, Milton Academy. Jonah crab
2nd Place: Kenna Melkonian, age 16, grade 11, Falmouth HS. Green sea turtle
3rd Place: Maddie Dalton, age 17, grade 11, Falmouth HS. Acadian redfish
4th Place: Jack Lothrop, age 16, grade 10, Dover-Sherborn Regional HS. Humpback mother and calf
5th Place: Shelby Rexroad, age 17, grade 11, Plymouth South HS. White shark
6th Place: Sienna Condon, age 16, grade 10, Plymouth South HS. Butterfish
6th Place: Hanchu Zhong, age 12, grade 5, Yang Mythos International School, Jiangsu, China. Halibut
6th Place: Wang Xinwei, age 8, grade 2, Yang Mythos Education, Shenzhen. Wolffish
6th Place: Yihan Yu, age 10, grade 4, Yang Mythos International School, Jiangsu, China. Herring gull
Computer Graphics/Photography (all grades)
1st Place: Isabelle Cadene, age 13, grade 7, Boston Latin School. Sanctuary scene
2nd Place: Shaelen Keane, age 14, grade 9, Plymouth South HS. Wolffish
3rd Place: Liam Russo, age 14, grade 9, Barnstable HS, Hyannis. Humpback breach
4th Place: Skyler W., age 8, grade 2, Federal Furnace Elementary School, Plymouth. Goosefish
5th Place: Cole K., age 12, grade 6, Homeschool, Wakefield. Flounder and sand lance
6th Place: Maggie Pappas, age 15, grade 10, Plymouth South HS. Octopi
6th Place: Sarah Schofield, age 16, grade 11, Plymouth North HS. Dolphins
6th Place: Talia D., age 7, grade 2, West Elementary School, Plymouth. Crab
Computer Graphics-SBNMS 20th Anniversary (all grades)
1st Place: Alexandra Walker, age 18, grade 12, Hingham HS (Grand Prize Winner)
2nd Place: Joey Kennedy, age 17, grade 11, Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical HS, Rochester
3rd Place: Drew Cambra, age 16, grade 10, Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical HS, Rochester
4th Place: Joselyn Costa, age 16, grade 11, Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical HS, Rochester
5th Place: Christie Kingsley, age 14, grade 9, Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical HS, Rochester
6th Place: Brenna Cote, age 16, grade 10, Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical HS, Rochester
Joseph McQuade Awards for Seabird/Waterfowl Art - from Massachusetts Marine Educators
$20 money order (to student) and book (to teacher)
Computer Graphics - Isabelle C., Boston Latin School, Gull with fish
High School - Rebecca Andrews, Dover-Sherborn Regional HS, Puffin with prey
Melissa Jaworski, Plymouth South HS, Blue heron
Middle School - Helena S., Jonas Clarke MS, Lexington, Loon
Elementary School - Oliver P., home school, E. Sandwich, Gull in flight
Marine Mammal Art Excellence Awards - from Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society
Whale Adoption Kit (to elementary and middle school students' teachers, to high school students)
Computer Graphics - Cassidy S., Federal Furnace Elementary School, Plymouth. Whale tail
High School - Elizabeth Bowerman, Falmouth HS, Humpbacks
Middle School - Regina P., home school, Stoneham, Atlantic white-sided dolphin
Heather G., Gates Intermediate School, Scituate, Two right whales
Elementary School - Rania, Pope John Paul 2 Catholic Academy, Humpback spyhop
Scientific Illustration - Alexandra D., Southbrook Academy, Bridgewater, Entangled whale
Massachusetts Marine Educators is a grass roots organization of teachers, informal educators, students, educational institutions, and others dedicated to the goals of developing a marine literate society and promoting awareness of the ocean world by integrating marine studies into existing curricula.
Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary encompasses 842 square miles of ocean, stretching between Cape Ann and Cape Cod offshore of Massachusetts. Renowned for its biodiversity and remarkable productivity, the sanctuary supports a rich assortment of marine life, including endangered great whales, more than 30 species of seabirds, more than 60 species of fishes and hundreds of marine invertebrates.
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