Marine Debris Awareness Student Art Project

The Marine Debris Awareness Student Art Project was developed and implemented by the Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawai`i (B.E.A.C.H.) to help increase awareness in schools and the community of the impacts of marine debris on marine life and the environment. This integrated marine science/art project involved students and teachers from many different schools and subject areas in learning about marine debris impacts such as ingestion, entanglement and habitat destruction, through powerpoint presentations, films, photographs, discussions and hands on learning with marine debris. Students then chose an issue that they are most concerned about and created a painting or drawing to help educate the community and inspire support for actions that will help reduce and prevent marine debris.

The project was conducted in thirty schools on O`ahu from 2008 to 2011 and resulted in more than twenty-eight public displays of artwork by more than 1500 students in grades K-12. Following the month long exhibitions of artwork, books of selected pieces were created to provide on-going learning and access to the work (such as in library collections) long after the projects had finished.

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Coral Photograph Credit to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/Department of Commerce and Dr. James P. McVey. Dolphins, Japanese Angelfish, Green turtles, Monk seal and Laysan Albatross photos by James Watt. Humpback whale photo by James Mobeley