Congratulations to CHS student, Mischa Waydo, who won the Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Art Contest out of 3,500 entries worldwide. Mischa’s love of the ocean and creative entry won her $100. She created a dress to generate awareness and advocacy for critical issues surrounding polar bears. Wanting to make a difference globally and locally in her own community, Mischa is donating her prize money to Emerald Keepers, a local environmental group. Emerald Keepers president Amy Steward said, “We are so very proud of Mischa for caring so deeply about the ocean and are touched she wants to help our team with our grassroots effort in Coronado.”
Mischa’s Reflection on her dress and photo entry:
Global Warming, a force that affects everyone. The increasing temperature of our atmosphere leading to one of the most painful extinctions in history, the polar bears. In this photograph, I am looking out into the distance sadly and hopelessly at the polar bears needing our help and at us doing nothing. My top was handmade from cut pieces of clear glass to resemble broken ice of the Arctic that polar bears are dealing with as global warming continues, and my skirt was made from a collection of stuffed polar bears. The background was selected because it looks like doomed arctic ice. It is called Il “Grande Nero Cretto” di Burri protagonista at the Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden at UCLA. Sadly, there are only so many things we can do at this point other than to support law-making organizations that tirelessly put forth new laws, policies, and regulations that help protect our polar bears and oceans. And there are so many simple things that we can do as citizens of planet Earth every day to save the polar bears. Simple things like borrowing instead of buying, avoiding buying products with excess packaging, and buying products with materials sourced and created closer to home. We can all help save the polar bears if we all pay attention and follow-through. Spread the word…and together we can educate people and help save the polar bears!
