Bow Seat Receives Awards Honoring Its Contributions to Environmental Education in Massachusetts

This week, Bow Seat received two awards recognizing its commitment to and programming in environmental education in the Commonwealth.

At the Massachusetts Marine Educators Annual Conference held on May 4^th, Bow Seat was presented a Certificate of Appreciation for dedicated service to the advancement of marine science. Since 2012, Bow Seat has educated and engaged students in ocean conservation through innovative programming that works at the intersection of science and arts education, with a focus on amplifying youth voices to advance dialogue and participation in environmental issues. Bow Seat’s signature scholarship program, the Ocean Awareness Contest, challenges teens to creatively explore the connections between human activities and the health of our ocean through visual art, writing, music, and film, with a focus on humans’ roles as both problem-makers and solvers. With themes ranging from overfishing and oil spills to plastic pollution and climate change, the Contest has been at the forefront of introducing ocean issues to thousands of teenagers around the world. Nearly 10,000 students from 78 countries and all 50 U.S. states have participated in Bow Seat’s programs, and Bow Seat has awarded almost $300,000 in scholarships to help advance their creative talents and passion for the ocean.

On May 6^th, Bow Seat and project partner Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) were presented with the Secretary’s Award for Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education by the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs at a ceremony at the Massachusetts State House. This award recognizes outstanding efforts to improve energy and environmental literacy in the Commonwealth. Bow Seat and CLF were honored for their 2019 Healthy Whale, Healthy Ocean Challenge, which invited K-12 students from New England to create visual art, poetry, and short films that highlight the plight of critically endangered North Atlantic right whales and the need for conservation of marine ecosystems and resources.

“We are thrilled to be recognized in our home state for our innovative approach to programming, in particular, how art-making through environmental education contributes to civic and community responsibility,” said Alyssa Irizarry, executive director of Bow Seat. “We look forward to continuing to engage Massachusetts students in creatively bringing attention to how global threats to ocean ecosystems impact our local communities.”