The City of Santa Monica's Office of Sustainability and the Environment along with Sustainable Works congratulates the winners and participants of the 10th Annual Sustainable Santa Monica Student Poster Contest. This year's theme Be Fantastic, Cut the Plastic, educated students on society’s over reliance on plastics, on how these plastics are polluting our environment and what they can do to be part of the solution. The contest was open to all kindergarten through 12th grade students who live and/or attend school in Santa Monica. This year, due to the high number of exceptional submissions, the contest was expanded to include two additional honorable mention winners in each of the four grade categories. Bringing the total number of winners to 24.
“The Poster Contest is a great way to engage with students through art and address important issues that are impacting their environment like plastic pollution. Now when they see a plastic straw or water bottle, they can be reminded of their artwork and the impacts of their behaviors. The majority of the students incorporated the beach, the ocean or marine life even though that was not a requirement. But these kids already have connection to the beach because it is their backyard. “Protect what you love”” said Amanda Grossman with the City of Santa Monica’s Office of Sustainability and the Environment.
This year’s outreach efforts educated over 1,060 students in 50 different classrooms at public schools and after school programs in Santa Monica and at Community Corporation of Santa Monica, resulting in over 730 poster submissions. The judges included representatives from the City of Santa Monica, Sustainable Works, along with other nonprofit leaders. The City of Santa Monica’s Office of Sustainability and the Environment and Sustainable Works are pleased to announce the winners.
The winning posters will be on display at the Santa Monica Main Library from until May 18, then at ClimateFest Santa Monica on May 19.
All Poster Contest winners and participants will be honored at an awards ceremony and celebration at the Annenberg Community Beach House on May 22 at 3:45 p.m. To RSVP to the event, email Gina Garcia at gina.garcia@sustainableworks.org.
A full photo gallery of the Awards Ceremony will be available at Sustainableworks.org after the Awards Ceremony and Celebration.
2018 Sustainable Santa Monica Student Poster Contest Winners
K-2nd grade
Grand Prize, Mailan Mai, Will Rogers Learning Community
2nd Place, Maddy Forrer, Grant Elementary
3rd Place, Samantha Mendez Ruiz, Community Corp of SM
Honorable Mention, Ella Ko, Grant Elementary
Honorable Mention, Charlie (Charlotte) Sloca, Grant Elementary
Honorable Mention, Dawit Yebalih, Community Corp of SM
3-5th grade
Grand Prize, Tyson Clark, Crossroads Elementary
2nd Place, Sofia Piturro, John Muir Elementary
3rd Place, Irene Beltran, Grant Elementary
Honorable Mention, Vivian Mardesich, Grant Elementary
Honorable Mention, Poppy Carr, Grant Elementary
Honorable Mention, Larissa Galan, Grant Elementary
6- 8th grade
Grand Prize, Helleney Avila Lincoln Middle School
2nd Place, Isabella Miele-Okada, Lincoln Middle School
3rd Place, Summer Bennett Stein, John Adams Middle School
Honorable Mention, Olivia Overfield, John Adams Middle School
Honorable Mention, Ming-Yen Johnson, John Adams Middle School
Honorable Mention, Reine S. Bissember, Lincoln Middle School
9-12th grade
Grand Prize, Esmé Ison, Santa Monica High School
2nd Place, Sabrina Miller, Santa Monica High School
3rd Place, Alisa Boardman, Santa Monica High School
Honorable Mention, Harper Smith, Santa Monica High School
Honorable Mention, Brianna Tenhouten, Santa Monica High School
Honorable Mention, Ashlynd Trendel, Santa Monica High School
Submitted by Gina Garcia, Sustainable Works Co-Executive Director