Deadline: June 9, 2025
Applications are open for the Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest 2025. The 14th annual Ocean Awareness Contest is a platform for young people to learn about environmental issues through art-making and creative communication, explore their relationship to a changing world, and become advocates for positive change. Students ages 11-18 from around the world are invited to participate.
The 2025 Ocean Awareness Contest – Connections to Nature: Looking Inside, Going Outside – encourages you to explore the natural world and your place in it. They invite you to think about your unique connection to nature and how being outside makes you feel. There are so many different ways that you can connect to nature, whether that’s exploring the history of the land you live on, volunteering in the fight against climate change, or taking a restorative walk in your local park. Go through the sub-themes and explore the topics that resonate with you. Share your relationship with the natural world through art, writing, performance, film, or multimedia. What is your connection to nature?
Prizes
- Gold Award – $1,000
- Silver Award – $750
- Bronze Award – $500
- Pearl Award – $250
- Distinguished Honorable Mention – $100
Eligibility
- Open to students ages 11-18 who are enrolled in middle school or high school (or the homeschool equivalent) worldwide. Proof of age, identity, or eligibility may be required.
- Students who have started college or university are not eligible to participate in the Contest.
- Students ages 11-14 may enter the Junior Division. Students ages 15-18 may enter the Senior Division. Enter the age division based on your age at the time of entry.
- Participants under the age of 13 must have a parent or legal guardian complete a Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) Parent/Guardian Consent Form with their submission.
- Entries may be submitted by an individual or group of unlimited size. If you submit as a group, there must be one group leader who will serve as the contact person for the group.
- All of the names of the group members must be listed in the submission.
- All group members must meet age eligibility requirements (11-18 years old.)
- Award money will be split evenly among the group members.
- Submit in the age division of the group leader.
- A student may submit (i.e., have their name included in) only one entry per category. Therefore, a student may have a maximum of seven different submissions, one in each category.
Application
All submissions must be received by June 9, 2025, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time (ET) to be considered in the 2025 Ocean Awareness Contest. The online platform will close automatically at the Contest deadline.
For more information, visit Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest.
