April 2023 Winners
Hope and Justice
Breakout
First Place April Hope and Justice
Artist: Charlotte Griffiths
Tri-City (Los Angeles County)
Grade: 11
Claremont High School
Advisor: Tamara Kirkpatrick
For this project, I used acrylic paint and water to paint a recently hatched butterfly and its chrysalis. The butterfly has a rainbow pattern to represent the rainbow LGBTQ flag. The chrysalis represents the proverbial and literal closets that so many LGBTQ people are forced to hide in. Butterflies represent hope, so this project represents my…
Worms
Second Place April Hope and Justice
Artist: Shayla Luong
Riverside County
Grade: 9
Valley View High School
Advisor: Mark Zarate
This digital art piece is meant to represent the racism I experienced as a child at school, especially during lunch, when I would bring my mom’s homemade food to school. I loved my culture, and I loved the food my mom would make me. But the other kids weren’t familiar with my culture, and they would…
Marigold
Third Place April Hope and Justice
Artist: Kaylani Raxajack
Tri-City (Los Angeles County)
Grade: 12
Claremont High School
Advisor: Tamara Kirkpatrick
This is my version of Michelle Yeoh winning an Oscar at this year’s award ceremony. Her message of hope was inspiring. I added in some celebratory aspects, and animated the image a bit, but wanted to express absolute joy and excitement through features in my art. Out of the 95 years the Oscar award show has…
Help yourself
Honorable Mention April Hope and Justice
Artist: Ky Nguyen
Tri-City (Los Angeles County)
Grade: 12
Claremont High School
Advisor: Tamara Kirkpatrick
Content warning: About violence and contains content that might be activating. “I wanted to discuss both violence and concerns related to mental health. Violence in the workplace, in schools, and even online has been a common concern over the years, and it still occurs every day. I made this piece because I wish those who are…
Light behind the Fog
Honorable Mention April Hope and Justice
Artist: Kiara Fernandez
Riverside County
Grade: 12
Coachella Valley High School
Advisor: Monica Perez
My art piece is about mental health awareness. Some who struggle with mental health issues may feel like they are trapped, but there is hope. The thick fog that you may feel lost in can be overcome, as you are your own light.
Will you braid the Earth’s hair, too?
Honorable Mention April Hope and Justice
Artist: Anonymous
San Diego County
Grade: College
This piece is a celebration of Earth and our relationship with it. Our relationship to the Earth is integral to how we can hope for better and even do better– to recognize that we are connected. There is no us without the Earth and there could potentially be no Earth without us in the future. I…
Monthly Prompt
Pick Up Your Trash
First Place April Monthly Prompt
Artist: Jayden England
Riverside County
Grade: 8
Landmark Middle School
Advisor: Vanessa Hoang
The Earth is slowly getting ruined and I want to share to try and raise awareness. We can all do our part.
Ode to Earth
Second Place – Tied April Monthly Prompt
Artist: Eloise Herrera
San Diego County
Grade: 8
Sweetwater Secondary
Advisor: Jennifer Cammack
In this submission, I wrote an Ode to Earth, hoping to let my audience know just how sorry I am for the mistakes of humanity done to earth. Through this poem, I am apologizing for the many mistakes I made so carelessly that led to the downfall of our planet and how I’d like to fix…
Corroding Coral
Second Place – Tied April Monthly Prompt
Artist: Charlotte Griffiths
Tri-City (Los Angeles County)
Grade: 11
Claremont High School
Advisor: Tamara Kirkpatrick
To the viewers of my artwork, I’d like for everyone to take a first glance, and see a coral reef. Then, I want the viewers to look closer, and see that there’s cardboard and paper and plastic integrated into the painting. This piece was designed to draw attention to the fact that garbage does not belong…
A Warning from 1000 years in the future
Third Place April Monthly Prompt
Artist: Samuel Lòpez De Los Angeles
Kern County
Grade: 10
Highland High School
Advisor: Jose Zavala
The future is in our hands when the earth has become a disaster because no one cared. A survivor sends a message back to 2023 with the hope that the person receiving it could set in motion a plan to change the future.
You Can Help Monarchs Too
Honorable Mention April Monthly Prompt
Artist: Keira Brownfield
Tehama County
Grade: 7
Lincoln Street School
Advisor: Andrea Martin
I made my poster to share how we can help monarch butterflies and why helping them is important. They are a part of the planet and environment, so they should also be helped through Earth day. My poster included giving away seeds for people at my school to plant to support the butterflies. I made the…
Reusable Bags
Honorable Mention April Monthly Prompt
Artist: Abbey Villanueva
Tri-City (Los Angeles County)
Grade: 12
Claremont High School
Advisor: Tamara Kirkpatrick
After reflecting upon actions that can be made by young people to better the environment, I thought that reusable bags would be a unique concept to highlight. In this day and age, there is so much plastic everywhere and for the most part, plastic bags are an example of this. I feel that instead of getting…
Our Responsibility to the Earth
Honorable Mention April Monthly Prompt
Artist: Joy Herrera
San Diego County
Grade: 11
Sweetwater Secondary
Advisor: Jennifer Cammack
In this entry, I wanted to discuss how we can best take care of the earth and how our planet is our biggest responsibility. I chose this category because I’m concerned about the welfare of not only the people and animals on Earth, but the planet herself. I feel we’ve hurt her too much and it…
April TikTok Challenge
Living better!
First Place April TikTok Challenge
Artist: Itzel Ventura Medina
San Diego County
Grade: 10
Chula Vista Learning Community Charter High School
Advisor: Melissa Gonzalez
This entry is based on many solutions available for people who want to take care of the planet. Every time we follow one of these, we have the ability to change our planet. Even though it’s not ALL 8 billion people, one person caring for the planet is better than none.
5 Easy Ways You Can Save The Earth
Honorable Mention April TikTok Challenge
Artist: Madalyn Pine and Daniel Henderson
Los Angeles County
Grade: 8
Palms Middle School
Advisor: Irene Clark
We chose this category because we care about the environment and have witnessed the effects a dirty environment can have on people, animals, and all other ecosystems. We have also wanted to learn more about changes we can make without completely altering our lives or spending money we don’t have.
Our Effect on the Environment
Honorable Mention April TikTok Challenge
Artist: Joshua Littlejohn
Los Angeles County
Grade: 8
Palms Middle School
Advisor: Irene Clark
I chose this category because I wanted to share to people that earth is our only home and that we really need to help our planet and its environment if we want to continue on as a species.
Garbage Grabbers
Honorable Mention April TikTok Challenge
Artist: Gael Moreno and Richard Rodgrueiz
Los Angeles County
Grade: 8
Palms Middle School
Advisor: Irene Clark
We did a game show TikTok about picking up trash. We learned that every piece of trash always matters.
Saving
Honorable Mention April TikTok Challenge
Artist: Naomi Downing
Los Angeles County
Grade: 8
Palms Middle School
Advisor: Irene Clark
This is a 60 second video about ways to save water easily.