OCEAN PALS 2010 – 2011 POSTER CONTEST

 This is A Year of Anniversaries!  This year marks the 25^th Anniversary of the Ocean Pal’s Poster Contest, using art to teach students ocean awareness.  FSDA has been a Sponsor and volunteer promoting this contest since 1990 – our outreach to Florida’s students!  It is also the 35^th year Anniversary for the Beneath The Sea (BTS) Expo – the NON-profit organization that started Ocean Pals.

As in past years, the 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd place Florida winners in each age group (K-2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12) competed with the winners of New York/New Jersey – California and all states in-between.  We received 319 posters from 41 schools throughout Florida.  They are judged in the 4 different groups so the younger students do not compete with the older students.  

CONGRATULATIONS go to Florida’s 1^st place winner, 1^st grader Caroline Peaden, who also won the Cayman Island Trip.  All teachers of a 1^st place National winner also win a prize – congratulations Mrs. Kim Kensinger!  

This year’s 2011 contest theme was “The Majestic Whale”.  Whales are elusive and difficult to see, and that’s what makes them most fascinating.  Whales are found in all oceans of the world.  It would be a very empty ocean without these fascinating mammals.  Whale hunting is a reality, endangering many of the whale species.  There are many organizations working towards the protection of these gigantic mammals.  However, they still remain vulnerable after decades of protection.  Commercial whaling has devastated the planet’s whale populations, pushing some to the brink of extinction.   

Whaling is no longer the only threat to whales.  The oceans, or rather, human impacts on the oceans have changed dramatically over the half-century since whales have been protected.  Known environmental threats to whales include global warming, pollution, overfishing, ozone depletion, noise such as sonar weaponry, and ship strikes.  Industrial fishing threatens the food supply of whales and also puts whales at risk of entanglement in fishing gear.  Some countries are starting to fish for krill, the only food of the Humpback whales.  Depleting the krill may cause extinction of many whales. 

Sanctuaries are an essential tool for protecting whales and countless other marine animals.  They provide opportunities to encourage non-lethal uses for whales such as whale watching and research technologies to better understand their biology and behavior.  The WWF Cetaceans Action Plan aims to ensure that by 2012, a significant reduction of threats to the whale population will be achieved. 

Encouraging young people to become aware of and share their concerns for the marine environment through poster art is our contest goal.  Their messages will be brought to the widest possible audience to create a stronger commitment to protect the very environment on which all life on this planet depends. 

THANK YOU, FSDA, for your support!

Sonia M Smith, OP Southeastern/ Florida Regional Director