student art contest

Science Without Borders® Challenge | Q&A Sessions Jan 20 & 26

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It’s time to apply for our annual student art contest, the Science Without Borders® Challenge! This international contest engages students and teachers in ocean conservation through art. This year, we are asking students to submit artwork that illustrates how people can preserve coral reefs using a “Ridge to Reef” approach to conservation. The Challenge is open to primary and secondary school students 11-19 years old, with scholarships of up to $500 awarded to the winning entries.

We are holding virtual Q&A sessions on January 20th and 26th for students and teachers who want to learn more about the Science Without Borders® Challenge. Join us for one of these sessions to have all of your questions answered about the contest, hear directly from some of the judges about what types of art we are looking for, and what you can do to increase your chance of success (hint: your artist’s statement matters a lot, it lets us know how your art relates to the theme).

Announcing Our 10th Annual Science Without Borders® Challenge!

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The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is now accepting entries for the 2022 Science Without Borders® Challenge! This annual art contest inspires students from all over the world to be creative while learning about important ocean science and conservation issues. The theme for this year’s competition is “Ridge to Reef,” and scholarships of up to $500 will be awarded to the winning entries.

Scientists estimate that we have already lost more than half of the world’s coral reefs. To ensure the survival of these vital ecosystems, people can help alleviate the threats to coral reefs by putting different management actions into place. Everything is interconnected from the land to the sea, so people often use what is termed a “Ridge to Reef” management approach. What happens on land, affects the aquatic and ocean ecosystems; therefore, all terrestrial, aquatic, and oceanic ecosystems must be studied, including how humans interact with these ecosystems, to understand how to protect coral reefs.

For this year’s contest, we are asking students to create a piece of artwork that illustrates one or more actions that governments, non-profits, park managers, and indigenous communities can take to preserve and conserve coral reefs. The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation has compiled information to help students learn about the theme and gain a better understanding of how coral reefs are managed from Ridge to Reef.

To enter the 2022 Science Without Borders® Challenge, follow the Contest Rules, review the Tips for Success, and upload your artwork to our online Submission Form. The Challenge is open to all students who are 11-19 years old and enrolled in primary or secondary school (or the home-school equivalent). Entries must be received by Monday, March 7, to be eligible to win.

Winners of the 2021 Science Without Borders® Challenge

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The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is thrilled to announce the winners of our annual student art competition, the Science Without Borders® Challenge. Every year, this international contest engages students in ocean conservation through art, encouraging them to create pieces that inspire people to preserve, protect, and restore the world’s oceans and aquatic resources.

The Foundation received entries to the Science Without Borders® Challenge from more countries than ever before. A total of 680 students from 63 countries sent in artwork illustrating this year’s theme, “The Magic of Mangroves.” This is the first time we received submissions from more than a dozen countries including Afghanistan, Kuwait, Maldives, Panama, Senegal, and Zambia. Mangrove forests are important marine ecosystems that protect the coast from storms, filter the water removing sediment and pollutants, sequester a surprising amount of carbon, and provide critical habitat for many species both above and below the waterline. The winning entries in each category are beautiful pieces of artwork as well as excellent illustrations of the benefits mangrove forests provide to people and the environment.

Announcing Finalists in the 2021 Science Without Borders® Challenge

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Happy Earth Week! One of the ways we are celebrating Earth Week this year is by announcing the Science Without Borders® Challenge finalists. Each year we choose an ocean conservation theme to encourage students and teachers to learn about different important ocean topics. Our goal is for students to not only learn about the theme through art, but also create artwork that inspires others to want to learn about it too.

The theme for this year’s art contest was “The Magic of Mangroves.” Students were asked to learn about the importance of mangroves, that are not only essential to the wellbeing of the planet, but also are an essential resource for humans too. Based off responses from our student surveys, many learned a great deal about mangroves and came to appreciate them. Here is what some of our participants said:

Announcing 2021 Science Without Borders® Challenge Semi-finalists – Ages 15-19

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Two days ago, we announced the semi-finalists of the 2021 Science Without Borders® Challenge for students participating in the 11-14 year old category. Today, we are thrilled to announce the semi-finalists in the older group of students 15-19 years of age.

This international student art contest engages students in important marine science and conservation issues through art. The theme of this year’s challenge is “The Magic of Mangroves,” and students were asked to illustrate one or more of the benefits mangroves provide to people, other organisms, or the environment. They did not disappoint.

Once again, our judges were put to the test to make some incredibly difficult decisions evaluating the almost 330 pieces of artwork entered in this category. They came to a consensus to include 34 of these entries as semi-finalists. Like with the younger semi-finalists group, students used a variety of styles, techniques and media to portray the importance of mangroves. Some students created artwork that illustrates mangroves in their local community, while others drew inspiration from far off places. Overall, students in this category ranged from 13 different countries.

We would now like to invite you to meet our 15-19 year old semi-finalists:

Now Accepting Artwork for the 2021 Science Without Borders® Challenge!

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The Khaled bin Sultan Living Oceans Foundation is now accepting entries for the 2021 Science Without Borders® Challenge! This annual art contest inspires students from all over the world to be creative while learning about important ocean science and conservation issues. The theme for this year’s competition is “The Magic of Mangroves,” and scholarships of up to $500 will be awarded to the winning entries.