Tag Archives: Art contest

Amusing Monday: Posters promote values of maritime industry

Camille Quindica, an eighth-grader from Kapolei Middle School in Hawaii, captured the spirit of the maritime industry in a poster that received top honors in an art contest with the theme “Connecting Ships, Ports and People.”

Artwork by Camille Quindica, eighth grade, grand prize winner, “Connecting Ships, Ports & People” Maritime Art Contest

The annual art contest is sponsored by North American Marine Environment Protection Association along with the U.S. Coast Guard and the Inter-American Committee on Ports of the Organization of the American States.

Camille’s drawing took the grand prize in the category for grades 6-12. She was presented with a certificate, $100 and other items by Coast Guard officials who visited her school two weeks ago.

“We have winners from overseas and all over, and we’ve been quite fortunate here in Hawaii,” said Cmdr. Ulysses Mullins, deputy sector commander for Coast Guard Sector Honolulu. “We’ve had two back-to-back winners and we’ve had the opportunity to present the winners in person.” (See story and photo in “Coast Guard News.”)

Artwork by Nelson Valencia, third grade, Grand Prize Winner, “Connecting Ships, Ports & People” Maritime Art Contest

Nelson Valencia, a third-grader at Atahualpa school in Ibarra, Imbabura, Ecuador, was the winner of the grand prize in the K-5 age group. Five other finalists were named for each of the two categories. To view all the winning posters, visit the NAMEPA website.

The winning posters have been compiled into a 2018 calendar.

Students were asked to submit an original poster that creatively depicts the connections among ships, ports and people and how these connections affect everyday lives. The contest was open to students in grades K-12 throughout North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

More than 500 entries were received, according to a news release about the contest that lists all the winners.

Artwork by Wilson Cajas, second grade, finalist, “Connecting Ships, Ports & People” Maritime Art Contest

The theme for this year’s contest is “Better Shipping for a Better Future.” Submissions will be accepted between Jan. 22 and March 30. Details will soon be available on the NAMEPA website.

NAMEPA, led by the maritime industry, promotes the preservation of the marine environment through best operating practices and by educating seafarers, students and the public about the need to protect natural resources. A webpage, NAMEPA Junior, provides a variety of activities for children.

The U.S. Coast Guard is dedicated to protecting U.S. coastal areas along with maritime and environmental interests throughout the world.

The Inter-American Committee on Ports (CIP) of the Organization of American States (OAS) brings together the National Port Authorities of all 35 sovereign nations of the Americas. The organization promotes sound and sustainable policies for the maritime industry.

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Amusing Monday:
Art contest features beautiful duck portraits

For the past 22 years, students from across the country have been painting and drawing some amazing pictures of ducks, swans, geese and related water birds.

The 2014 winner of the Junior Duck Stamp Contest is 16-year-old Si youn Kim of Tenafly, N.J., who painted a king elder with acrylics. Photo: USFWS
The 2014 winner of the Junior Duck Stamp Contest is 16-year-old Si youn Kim of Tenafly, N.J., who painted a king elder using acrylics. // Photos: USFWS

Each year, the best pictures are printed up as Federal Junior Duck Stamps, which can be purchased from participating post offices and sporting good stores. With the deadline for the 2015 art contest approaching, I thought it would be a good time to share some of these great artworks.

The Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program is sponsored by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The $5 junior duck stamps are modeled on the $15 Federal Duck Stamps, purchased by hunters and used by others as a pass for national wildlife refuges.

Second-place in the 2014 contest went to Andrew Kneeland, 16, of Rock Springs, Wyo., for his acrylic painting of a trumpeter swan with cygnets. Photo: USFWS
Second-place in the 2014 contest went to Andrew Kneeland, 16, of Rock Springs, Wyo., for his acrylic painting of a trumpeter swan with cygnets.

Proceeds from the junior duck stamps are used for conservation education, including a national curriculum for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. The national program involves elements of science, art, math and technology.

The deadline for the art competition is March 15. At the state level, students are judged in four groups by grade: K-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. Numerous awards are given in each group, and one “best of show” from each state are entered into the national competition in April. Participants are encouraged to include a conservation message with their entries.

The third-place winner was Jiahe Qu, 15, of Chandler, Ariz., for an acrylic painting of a hooded merganser.
The third-place winner was Jiahe Qu, 15, of Chandler, Ariz., for an acrylic painting of a hooded merganser.

Information on the contest and overall program is available on the website of the Junior Duck Stamp Program or download the junior duck stamp brochure (PDF 20.3 mb). Older artists may enter the Federal Duck Stamp Contest held in September.

All the top entries in the 2014 Junior Duck Stamp Contest can be seen on the Flickr page of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, along with the top entries for the Federal Duck Stamp contest.

The 2013 winner of the Junior Duck Stamp Contest was 6-year-old Madison Grimm of Burbank, S.D., who painted a canvasback.
The 2013 winner of the Junior Duck Stamp Contest was 6-year-old Madison Grimm of Burbank, S.D., who painted a canvasback.

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Amusing Monday: Students relate to water with art

Each year, the New York City Department of Environmental Protection holds a student art and poetry contest on the theme of water resources, including water conservation and wastewater treatment.

Betty Jin, grade 6-7, Nathaniel Hawthorne Middle School, Bayside, N.Y.
By Betty Jin, grade 6-7, Nathaniel Hawthorne Middle School, Bayside, N.Y. / NYC Department of Environmental Protection

This year’s contest attracted 580 entries among students from 68 schools in the region. All participants received a “Water Ambassadors” certificate, and 39 were named as this year’s “Water Champions.”

“The Water Resources Art and Poetry Contest is an engaging way to teach students about the infrastructure that supplies more than half the state’s population with clean drinking water and has helped dramatically improve the health of our waterways,” said DEP Commissioner Emily Lloyd in a news release, which includes a list of the 39 winners.

I’ve chosen three of my favorites to show you on this page, but you can see all the entries on the Department of Environmental Protection Flickr page.

From the news release:

“DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing more than one billion gallons of water each day to more than nine million residents, including eight million in New York City.

By Tasnim Ahmed, grades 10-12, Newcomers High School, Long Island City, N.Y.
By Tasnim Ahmed, grades 10-12, Newcomers High School, Long Island City, N.Y.

“The water is delivered from a watershed that extends more than 125 miles from the city, comprising 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes. Approximately 7,000 miles of water mains, tunnels and aqueducts bring water to homes and businesses throughout the five boroughs, and 7,500 miles of sewer lines and 96 pump stations take wastewater to 14 in-city treatment plants.

“DEP has nearly 6,000 employees, including almost 1,000 in the upstate watershed.

“In addition, DEP has a robust capital program, with nearly $14 billion in investments planned over the next 10 years that will create up to 3,000 construction-related jobs per year. This capital program is responsible for critical projects like City Water Tunnel No. 3; the Staten Island Bluebelt program, an ecologically sound and cost-effective stormwater management system; the city’s Watershed Protection Program, which protects sensitive lands upstate near the city’s reservoirs in order to maintain their high water quality; and the installation of more than 820,000 Automated Meter Reading devices, which will allow customers to track their daily water use, more easily manage their accounts and be alerted to potential leaks on their properties.”

Miranda Torn, grades 4-5 , Blue School, downtown New York City
Miranda Torn, grades 4-5 , Blue School, downtown New York City

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