New England Science & Sailing Announces Winning Artists in Annual Statewide Drawing Contest
May 03, 2018
Stonington, CT – New England Science & Sailing Foundation (NESS) announced this year's winning artists for the statewide calendar drawing contest entitled "Long Island Sound and Its Watershed: What It Means to Me." The annual drawing contest is open to all Connecticut students currently in Grades K-6. Santiago Araujo of the Shelter Rock School in Danbury was named the overall winner. His artwork will be featured on the cover of next year's calendar.
NESS's President and CEO Spike Lobdell commented, "This year's contest involved over 2,000 Connecticut students whose inspiring artwork depicted the importance of preserving Long Island Sound. Many thanks to the students as well as their teachers and parents who provided support in this environmental stewardship project."
A panel of judges chose two first place and two honorable mention winners from each grade as this year's award recipients. The students will be honored at an award ceremony in Hartford later this month. The artwork will also be part of a calendar in 2019.
Honorees include:
NESS, a nationally-recognized and award-winning nonprofit ocean adventure education organization, provides students of all ages with year-round ocean adventure programming that includes marine science, sailing, and water sports. NESS scholastic programs support teachers' STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) curricula with a unique combination of on-the-water and in-the-classroom lessons intended to build confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills.
The annual "Long Island Sound & Its Watershed" calendar drawing contest is funded by a grant from the Dominion Foundation and was previously overseen by the Long Island Sound Foundation. For more information about the drawing contest, please visit http://nessf.org/long-island-sound-calendar-contest/.
NESS's President and CEO Spike Lobdell commented, "This year's contest involved over 2,000 Connecticut students whose inspiring artwork depicted the importance of preserving Long Island Sound. Many thanks to the students as well as their teachers and parents who provided support in this environmental stewardship project."
A panel of judges chose two first place and two honorable mention winners from each grade as this year's award recipients. The students will be honored at an award ceremony in Hartford later this month. The artwork will also be part of a calendar in 2019.
Honorees include:
| Student Name | Grade | School | Place |
| Dayne Elvis Lecy | K | Dr. Charles E Murphy Elementary School | 1st Place |
| Evelyn Leff | K | Niantic Center School | 1st Place |
| Evelyn Coronado | K | Harbor School | Honorable Mention |
| Mylez Mitchell | K | Roosevelt Early Learning Center | Honorable Mention |
| Kaylah De Jesus | 1 | MM Generali | Honorable Mention |
| Lena Cosentino | 1 | Niantic Center School | Honorable Mention |
| Keishlyanne Garcia Lopez | 1 | Individual Entry | 1st Place |
| Julia Banda | 1 | Preston Veterans' Memorial School | 1st Place |
| Santiago Araujo | 2 | Shelter Rock School | Overall Winner |
| Amelia Auten | 2 | St. Mark School | Honorable Mention |
| Landon Bourque | 2 | Dr. Charles E Murphy Elementary School | Honorable Mention |
| Aidan Naktenis | 2 | Niantic Center School | 1st Place |
| Laila Vondle | 3 | Shelter Rock School | Honorable Mention |
| Aya Yoshimuta | 3 | Greenwich Japanese School | 1st Place |
| Juliana Braz | 3 | Shelter Rock School | 1st Place |
| Lillian Harney | 3 | West Broad Street School | Honorable Mention |
| Grace McKee | 4 | Niantic Center School | 1st Place |
| Ken Nikaido | 4 | Greenwich Japanese School | 1st Place |
| Matayo Swepson | 4 | West Broad Street School | Honorable Mention |
| Shea Cullen | 4 | Dr. Charles E Murphy Elementary School | Honorable Mention |
| Marcella Hamm | 5 | St. Michael School | Honorable Mention |
| Emily Jenniges | 5 | Individual Entry | Honorable Mention |
| Sydney Lombard | 5 | St. Mark School | 1st Place |
| Yosuke Miura | 5 | Greenwich Japanese School | 1st Place |
| Jonathan Wutka | 6 | Hartland School | Honorable Mention |
| Sebastian Gawrys | 6 | HALS Academy | Honorable Mention |
| Momoka Morimoto | 6 | Greenwich Japanese School | 1st Place |
| Julia Lacasse | 6 | Individual Entry | 1st Place |
NESS, a nationally-recognized and award-winning nonprofit ocean adventure education organization, provides students of all ages with year-round ocean adventure programming that includes marine science, sailing, and water sports. NESS scholastic programs support teachers' STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) curricula with a unique combination of on-the-water and in-the-classroom lessons intended to build confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills.
The annual "Long Island Sound & Its Watershed" calendar drawing contest is funded by a grant from the Dominion Foundation and was previously overseen by the Long Island Sound Foundation. For more information about the drawing contest, please visit http://nessf.org/long-island-sound-calendar-contest/.
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New England Science & Sailing Foundation, Inc. (NESS) is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) ocean adventure education organization that engages students in experiential learning to build confidence, teamwork, and leadership skills. Marine sciences, adventure sports, powerboating, and sailing are platforms for inquiry-based learning, personal discovery, teaching respect and responsibility for the sea, and creating connections with the community. NESS operates year-round with families, schools, and organizations to provide high-quality programs that blend an innovative curriculum with exciting ocean adventure activities. For more information, visit www.nessf.org.
Contact:
Caroline Knowles, Assistant Director of Advancement, Communications and PR
cknowles@nessf.org, (860) 535-9362
