Bow Seat 2017 Ocean Awareness Student Contest

Deadline: June 19, 2017

From the Ocean Awareness Student Contest website:

We invite middle and high school students from around the world to participate in the 2017 Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Student Contest!

This year’s theme is Ocean Pollution: Challenges & Solutions.

It’s easy to become discouraged when you think about the challenges facing our ocean ecosystems. Ocean pollution, in particular, is an ever-increasing global concern that threatens marine life, our environment, the economy, and human health.

Yet there have been many inspiring conservation stories and ocean “wins” in the last year: cities implementing plastic bag bans; governments establishing new Marine Protected Areas; and the rise of citizens and businesses embracing zero-waste mentalities. Optimism is contagious, and sharing messages of hope around the world has never been easier than in this digitally connected age. Let’s ride the wave of #OceanOptimism, and think creatively about how our ocean-loving community – from K to gray – can turn the tide of global ocean pollution.

At Bow Seat, we recognize the power of our young ocean caretakers, and our goal is to inspire them to lead the way to finding innovative solutions to ocean pollution. We want you to #BeTheChange. You may choose to focus your work on one type of pollution, or the impact of ocean pollution as a whole. Whichever way you choose, we want your submission – visual art, poetry, prose, or film – to make viewers reflect on the impact of ocean pollution, inspire them to consider possible solutions, and challenge them to take action.

We encourage you to connect your submission to your own life, your local community, or something else that inspires and motivates you. Some questions that you might consider as you work on your submission are:

  • Who is to “blame” for ocean pollution? What are the sources of ocean pollution?
  • Who – and what – is impacted by ocean pollution?
  • How does ocean pollution at one end of the world affect the other end?
  • What innovative solutions have been created or proposed to address different types of ocean pollution? What challenges do these innovations face to widespread implementation?
  • How should scientists, designers, and policy-makers work together to address ocean pollution issues? How do local communities take part? How do individuals play a role? What role do you play?
  • What is the first step to raising awareness about ocean pollution?
  • How does meaningful change happen?
  • What does the future ocean look like to you?


Everything you need to know for the 2017 contest is on this page, so please read it carefully! Download a printable version>

Awards:

Awards of up to $1500 will be presented in each of the four categories at both middle school and high school levels.

Getting Started:

1. Research.
Use our website to find resources and inspiration. Do research on the topic, ask tough and complex questions, and have conversations about ocean pollution with your peers and sponsor.

2. Create.
Create your own work of art, prose, poetry, or film that interprets the Contest theme and advocates for ocean conservation. Make sure you review and understand all of the requirements for your chosen Category.

3. Submit.
Make sure you’ve met all rules and requirements for submitting to the Contest. Use our online system to create an account and submit your work. There is no fee to enter the Contest.

It is important that you provide a valid email address so that we may contact you. If you provide a school email address as your primary contact information, please provide an additional, alternative email address as well.

Teachers & Sponsors: You may create a single account under your name and submit multiple entries on behalf of your class, but you must submit separate entries for each individual student, unless they are participating as a Group.

Entries are due by June 19, 2017, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET).

Age Groups:

  • Middle School
    6th-8th grade, or International or Homeschool Equivalent
  • High School
    9th-12th grade, or International or Homeschool Equivalent

Submit As:

  • An Individual, meaning that you are the sole creator of your submission; or
  • A Group. Groups can be of unlimited size, but you must provide the name of each group member. There will be one group leader who will serve as the contact person for the group. Awards will be given to the group as a whole.

Categories:

ART –  All visual interpretations of the theme are welcome in this category, including painting, drawing, prints, digital art, sculpture, photography, and much more.

POETRY – All pieces of written and spoken poetry which interpret the prompt are acceptable in this category, whether just a single poem or a collection.

PROSE – All forms of written interpretations of the theme (except poetry) are acceptable in this category. Feel free to write fiction, nonfiction, personal memoirs, analytical essays, nature writing, political advocacy, op-eds or news articles, or any other form of prose.

FILM – All types of cinematic interpretations of the theme are acceptable in this category, from PSAs to short films to educational videos and much more.

The Reflection

The Reflection helps your audience and the judges understand more about you, your work, and the issue you are addressing. It is like the introduction to a book, or an artist’s statement in a museum. The judges will not lower your score for a poorly written Reflection, but writing a good Reflection will certainly help the judges understand you and your work better, and you will likely do better in the Contest!

But why do I have to write about my work, instead of letting my work speak for itself?

It’s important to practice talking about your work because it is one of the hardest but most fundamental skills of being an advocate. People who see your work will likely want to ask questions that only you can answer—the Reflection is kind of like an FAQ. Why did you do what you did? How did you create it? What inspired you? What have you learned through your exploration of ocean pollution? Entice people who see your work to look longer, deeper, and most of all to think about the issue you are trying to address.

Reflection Requirements

Resources

We have many resources to help you get started on your submission, including tips and inspiration, resources for learning more about ocean pollution, links to ocean conservation and research organizations, and much more!

Competition Period

  • The 2017 Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Student Contest opens for submissions on Thursday, September 15, 2016. All submissions must be received by Monday, June 19, 2017 at 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) to be considered in the 2017 Contest. The online platform will close automatically at the Contest deadline. Please plan accordingly!

Who May Enter

  • This is an international Contest and is open to eligible students worldwide.
  • Any student in grades 6-8 (or the international or homeschool equivalent) is eligible for the Middle School division. Any student in grades 9-12 (or the international or homeschool equivalent) is eligible for the High School division. As long as you were a middle school or high school student for any amount of time during the Contest (September 2016 – June 2017), you are eligible to enter.
  • Participants under the age of 13 must have a parent or legal guardian complete a Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Parent/Guardian Consent Form and upload it as part of their submission.
  • Entries may be submitted by an individual or group of unlimited size. If you submit as a group, there must be one group leader who will serve as the contact person for the group. All of the names of the group members must be listed in the submission. Award money will be split among the group members.
  • Any student may submit (i.e., have their name included in) only one entry per category. Therefore, a student may have a maximum of four different submissions, one in each category.

 Submissions are judged based on:

  • Artistic voice, originality, and imagination
  • Craftsmanship, including quality, technique, attention to detail, and accuracy of communicating ocean pollution issues
  • How well they address the theme of the Contest
  • Meeting the Contest submission requirements

For more information about the awards or directions on how to enter, visit the Contest Website. 

 

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