Trash from our daily lives at home and school can become marine debris in many different ways. It can be lost in transport to a waste facility, disposed of improperly, or blown out of outdoor bins, which makes reducing our daily waste an important step to addressing the marine debris problem.
For those living in coastal Ohio, lost waste can end up in Lake Erie. In order to help raise awareness of the issue, we’re excited to be offering the Ohio Marine Debris Art Challenge for students in grades 6-12 in coastal Ohio! After learning about marine debris in the ocean and Great Lakes, and how we all may be contributing with our trash, students will create marine debris artwork from repurposed trash. This year, artwork submissions should focus on Lake Erie wildlife. We encourage you to research the impacts of marine debris on local wildlife and use your creativity to showcase these animals using materials from your trash!
Entry forms for the Ohio Marine Debris Art Challenge are due by 11:59pm ET on April 15, 2022. Winners of the contest will receive a single day entry to Cedar Point Amusement Park during Physics, Math, and Science Week in early summer 2022, subject to park scheduling. They will be publicly recognized by dignitaries and will be featured at the Ohio Sea Grant/Ohio State University Stone Lab and NOAA Marine Debris Program booth. Winning students will share their artwork with other students, teachers, and guests at Cedar Point on the day of the recognition event. In addition to entry to Cedar Point, winning teams from each age group will also receive the following:
- First Place: A day field trip to Ohio State University’s Stone Laboratory on Gibraltar Island, Ohio, including roundtrip passage on Miller Ferry.
- Second Place: Admission to a tour/educational center in their local area.
- Third Place: Student gift bags featuring products from sponsoring organizations.
All six winning groups will receive a plaque in recognition of their award, reusable ware, and the artwork will be featured on organizational websites and other forms of media communications. Artwork may also be displayed at partner venues.
For full contest eligibility, rules, entry forms, and resources please visit our website. We look forward to seeing your creative and inspiring art!
