2023 Ocean Awareness Contest – Climate Heroes

The 12th annual Ocean Awareness Contest is a platform for young people to learn about environmental issues through art-making and creative communication, explore their relationship to a changing world, and become advocates for positive change. Students ages 11-18 from around the world are invited to participate.

2023 Theme | Climate Heroes in Action

A CREATIVE CHALLENGE FOR TEENS WORLDWIDE

The 2023 Ocean Awareness Contest – Climate Heroes in Action – encourages students to learn about both climate change and solutions to the climate crisis. We want to celebrate the work of countless everyday heroes fighting to make the world more habitable and just in the face of human-induced climate change. These heroes are leading with determination, resolve, and even joy to create a better world for us all.

For the 2023 Contest, we encourage you to follow what interests you – science, activism, justice, art, education, technology, and more – and uplift a trailblazer in that field who is making strides to fight climate change. We recommend that you look beyond the big names and share the story of an everyday hero in the climate movement. Look for initiatives in your community and beyond – who is spearheading them? How can we amplify their work?

Who May Enter

Students ages 11-18 from around the world are invited to participate in the Ocean Awareness Contest. Enter the division based on your age at the time of entry:

• Junior Division: Age 11-14
• Senior Division: Age 15-18

Students can participate as an individual or as a club, class, or group of any size. All students must provide the contact information for an Adult Sponsor (teacher, parent, mentor, etc.) Students who have started college or university are not eligible to participate in the Contest.

Submissions are accepted in:

• Visual Art
• Poetry & Spoken Word
• Creative Writing
• Film
• Performing Arts: Music & Dance
• Interactive & Multimedia

Please review all submission requirements carefully. 

CONTEST DEADLINE: JUNE 13, 2023

HOW TO ENTER

Submission Checklist:

• Your contact information
• Your submission (Visual Art, Creative Writing, Film, Interactive & Multimedia, Performing Arts: Music & Dance, Poetry & Spoken Word)
• A title for your submission
• Your written reflection
• Works cited (if applicable): List of sources for any ideas, quotes, or facts used that are not your own
• Contact information for an adult sponsor (required for all participants)
• Parent/guardian consent (required if under 13 years old). Click here for more information about parent/guardian consent.

Once you make an account and start a submission, you will have the opportunity to save your work and continue at another time.