Students Connect Language, Science, and Art for Winning Animal Creations

ARLINGTON, Va., Dec. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A moonlit scene of schools of fish, a band of gorillas striking a tune, and a trio of cheetahs on the hunt are some of the remarkable images created by the winners of a national environmental art contest.

The 18^th Annual Art Contest sponsored by the Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) introduced students in grades 2-4 to the collective nouns used to describe specific groups of animals, many of them unique and intriguing. With examples such as a knot of frogs, a lounge of lizards, and a parliament of owls, young artists were invited to explore their own animal collection and consider its distinctive name, behavior, and other characteristics, illustrating it all through art.

Six winners were selected out of the over 625 entries received from 24 states, including Hawaii. Grand-Prize winner Annika Yeh, a third-grader from Vancouver, Wash., depicted multiple underwater animal collections – including groups of algae – in "Moon Light Water." Third-grader Cynthia Wu, from McLean, Va., won Most True to Theme for capturing the behavior of koalas in "Colony of Koalas." Shaina Rivera, a fourth-grader from Newark, N.J., won Most Entertaining or Creative for her fun interpretation of "The Gorilla Band."

Tied for the Most Artistic entries were the intricate creation of "A Pack of Dogs in Grassland" from third-grader Gianna Zou, from Pine Brook, N.J., and the vibrant "A Colorful World of Dolphins" from fourth-grader Nicole Zhu, from Livingston, N.J. Fourth-grader Caden Stuart, from Beulah, Mich., was chosen for the Most Informative entry with the animated "Band of Cheetah Brothers."

"The talent and creativity of this year's winners is truly remarkable," said IGES President Nancy Colleton. "We are thrilled to see that students had fun exploring the intrinsic connections among art, science, and language through their animal collections." The contest supports national education standards and is a recurring part of the curriculum for educators nationwide.  Colleton hopes that this exercise will also help children understand the importance of biodiversity.

To view the winning entries from this and previous years, please visit: www.strategies.org/ArtContest.

About IGES
Located in Arlington, Va., IGES was established in 1994 and is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization supported by public and private entities. IGES is a trusted leader in Earth and space science education, communication and outreach, and in fostering national and international cooperation in Earth observations.

SOURCE Institute for Global Environmental Strategies

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