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Connecticut Students use their Artistic Talents to Promote Stewardship of Long Island Sound

For twenty-three years, students have participated in the Long Island Sound Calendar Contest entitled “Long Island Sound and its Watershed: What it Means to Me”. This contest is an annual project that promotes stewardship and began with the former Long Island Sound Foundation and its founder Susan McNamara.

Seven years ago, Susan asked if NESS would be willing to take over this project. Aligning with one of our four core values, Stewardship, NESS is proud to be the current organizer of this statewide contest that encourages students to learn about the importance of Long Island Sound and value its watershed. The annual drawing contest is open to all Connecticut students currently in Grades K-6.

The imagination of the students is amazing, from drawing a Ocean Hospital to a young person watching a beautiful sunset over Long Island Sound. Students are asked to put a message on the artwork if they so choose. These messages speak to all, loud and clear: “Together We Can Save Our Sound”, “Treat Your Ocean Nicely. Save the Sound!”, “We need a Clean Ocean”, and “Please Don’t Litter. Help Protect The Animals of the Sound”. Our best hope for a promising future for Long Island Sound is to educate our young students.

In 1997, the Senate approved Long Island Sound Day to encourage citizens to acknowledge and celebrate the economic, recreational, and environmental values of the Sound. This year, Long Island Sound Day is on May 28th and is the deadline for students to submit their artwork to NESS.

A panel of judges is comprised of artists, teachers, and marine science professionals. Some of the judges have been doing this for years; and each year, a winner from each grade is chosen as well as an honorable mention from each grade. Our development team the works together to design the calendar and print upwards of 3000 calendars. Calendars are sent to the schools of students that participate as well as area libraries, museums, aquariums and are available at NESS for free. The calendar is sponsored by Dominion.

We encourage all teachers to educate their students about Long Island Sound and its watershed and join in this contest and have a fun, creative, hands-on experience. Information about the LIS Calendar drawing contest can be found on our website or contact Pam Gibbs at pgibbs@nessf.org.

By Pam Gibbs, Outreach & Engagement

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