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Coast Guard Student Art Contest

Every year, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) partners with the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA), and the Inter-American Committee on Ports of the Organization of American States (CIP-OAS) to celebrate talented artists throughout the Americas in the K-12 Student Art Contest. Students that enter the contest create a poster that represents an environmental theme as identified by the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) World Maritime Day.

The Coast Guard commends all students who participate in the art contest. Participation is open to students K-12 throughout the Americas (North America, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean). Students living outside the Americas are also welcome to apply, provided they have one or more parents on active duty with the U. S. Coast Guard.

The student art contest is one of many STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics) initiatives promoted by Coast Guard units and partner schools across the country through the Coast Guard Partnership in Education (PIE) Program.

In addition to the students that compete in the art contest, the Coast Guard commends all Coast Guard personnel who volunteer to support schools, teachers and students in communities across the country while increasing awareness of Coast Guard values, people, and missions.

Below, you can find the artwork of the finalists and the two grand-prize winners from previous years.

 

2025 Theme: "Our Ocean, Our Obligation, Our Opportunity"

 

Grand Prize Winners:

Adaya K., 5th grade, Coral Reef, San Jose, California, USA (left)

Anastasia R., 11th grade, Hands of Change, San Fernando, Trinidad, Trinidad and Tobago (right)

 

Finalists, Grades K-5:

Isla W., 1st grade, The Colorful Ocean, Newton, Massachusetts, USA (left)

Emerson W., 2nd grade, Save the Sea Turtles, Newton, Massachusetts, USA (right)

 

Finalists, Grades K-5

Jacqueline W., 2nd grade, Sunset Symphony of the Sea, Tewlsbury, Manitoba, Canada (left)

Kyle S., 4th grade, Everything is running fine, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (right)

 

Finalists, Grades K-5

Evie L., 5th grade, Life Below the Surface, Newton, Massachusetts, USA

 

Finalists, Grades 6-12

Casey C., 7th grade, We Need Them All, Juneau, Alaska, USA (left)

Chloe L., 7th grade, Silent Struggle, Harrington Park, New Jersey, USA (right)

 

Finalists, Grades 6-12

Jin G., 7th grade, A vibrant and harmonious world, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (left)

Vincent C., 7th grade, They interact with each other, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (right)

 

Finalists, Grades 6-12

Jonathan S., 9th grade, Ocean Guardians, Union City, Indiana, USA

 

 

 

 

2024 Theme: “Navigating the Future of Safety and Sustainability”

Drawing of a sea captain with a ship wheel in the middle. On the four corners are smaller images. Top left is of sailors with a safety ring border. Bottom left is a lighthouse background, with a whale tail foreground. Top right is of an oil rig. Bottom right is a cargo ship.     Drawing of a young girl beneath the water inside of a submarine for one. She is surrounded by fish, plant life, debris, litter, and oil. The submarine she is in also has mechanical arms that are cleaning the litter.

Grand Prize Winners: Kyle S., Grade 3, Vancouver, Canada (left) Valentina C., Grade 7, El Dorado Hills, California USA (right)

Drawing is a cargo shop on the ocean with the text "Frienship 101" on the side. There are two sailors on boths sides of the drawing. One is reporting something into a phone and the other is receiving the report on a headset.   A large girl is the central feature of this drawing and her arms are wrapped around the ocean. There are fish and other sea life in the water within her arms. On the outside of the arms are litter and a cruise ship.

Finalists: Andrea K., Grade 2, Fort Lee, New Jersey, USA (left), Amanda C., Grade 4, Flushing, New York, USA (right)

The drawing is divided into 6 different sections. There is a lighthouse at the center dividing all sections. Top section is a map. Right middle are two rescue Coast Guard members on a harness from a Helicopter. Bottom right are members on a small watercraft. Bottom Middle is the globe. Bottom left is a blue whale jumping out of the water. Middle left are two captains in a ship's control room.   Drawing of three cargo ships along with Coast Guard assets: A cutter, a helicopter, and a plane in the top left. Bottom left includes two civilians holding a sign that reads "Sustainable Development Goals." Bottom right includes orcas, dolphins, and sting rays.

Finalists: Yinge (Vicky) C., Grade 8, Vancouver, Canada (left), Jacob K., Grade 6, Poway, California, USA (right)

Drawing of a cargo ship from the front. In front of that is a turtle on a rock holding a sign that reads "Sail into the future. Protect the ocean." There is a plant at the bottom of the sign.   Drawing of multiple scientists, engineers, and personnel from other fields that adorn the sides. In the central drawing is a crystal ball with a ship in the middle.

Finalists: Tansy C., Grade 3, Gulfport, Florida, USA (left), Rosa L., Grade 9, Cupertino, California, USA (right)

Underwater drawing of a person scuba diving surrounded by various kinds of fish, sea life, and sea plants.   A drawing taking place at night. There is a moon on the left side and the central image is a cargo ship with the text that reads "Heroes of the Nights." There is a drawing of a superhero with a cape flying by the ship, a helicopter above them, and two ships shining lights at the main ship.

Finalists: Vivian L., Grade 6, Flushing, New York, USA (left), Louise L., Grade 1, Fort Lee, New Jersey, USA (right)

The background of this drawing is an atlas and a string of different nations' flags. In the foreground are three separate images in circular ship window borders. The top image is of a ship by an oil rig. The bottom right window contains a drawing of a scuba diver. The bottom left image is a drawing of two dolphins and other sea life, plant life.   

Finalists: Cynnie C., Grade 6, Vancouver, Canada (left), Benjamin G., Grade 6, Vancouver, Canada (right)

 

2023 Theme: "MARPOL at 50- Preventing Marine Pollution”

Drawing of a glass bottle with a cork on top. Inside the glass bottle is a red ship with several shipping containers. The glass bottle is half submerged in the ocean and half out of the ocean. Within the submerged part is an ocean colored hand holding the bottom of the bottle. There are two flying fishing jumping out of the water on the right side.A large ship with cranes and shipping containers on top of the ocean. Within the blue part of the ocean is a green recycling logo, the text "Preventing Marine Pollution, and an Orca jumping out of the water. There is text on the ship that reads "MARPOL at 50"

Grand Prize Winners: Alina W., Grade 11, Ontario, Canada (left) Benjamin S., Grade 4, Indiana, USA (right)

 The drawing is split into two vertical halves. On the left side is a barren sea floor with a sunk ship with the text "Torrey" on it and black smoke clouds. On the right side is a lush and colorful ocean with sea creatures and plants. A ship with the text "Green" is on the surface. Text at the top of the drawing says "Protect our Planet and the Ocean." A colorful drawing that is split into five sections. On the left side is a ship and battery with the text "Low Sulfur Fuel." On the top section is a plane and ship with the text "Oil Pollution Prevention. On the right side is a ship on the water with the text "Sewage Pollution Prevention." On the bottom section is a ship on the water with a whale and three trash bags in the water with the text "Noxious Liquid Substance Pollution Prevention." In the last section is a human holding two trash bags with the text "Garbage Pollution Prevention." In the center of the drawing is a globe with the text MARPOL AT 50 Our Commitment goes on." 

Finalists: Abigail C., Grade 3, New York, USA (left), Aditya Y., Grade 6, Michigan, USA (right)

Drawing of the back of a gray ship on the ocean holding several shipping containers. Text on the ship reads "Reduce Reuse Recycle." There is a dolphin jumping out of the water on the right side of the ship. Drawing of the earth in outer space with a black background and half the sun in the top left corner. There is a satellite below the sun and to the left of the earth. Two hands with gloves are extending from the right side of the drawing cupping the earth. On the earth is a ship and a polar bear. There is text on the top that reads "It's in your hands!"

Finalists: Elishka L., Grade 4, Pennsylvania, USA (left), Joanna M., Grade 7, Pennsylvania, USA (right)

A drawing of a ship on the ocean that has several shipping containers. Below the ship is the text "MARPOL at 50" accompanied by two anchors on each side. At the top of the drawing is the text "Preventing Marine Pollution." Drawing of the earth in outer space. The sun is behind the earth. The earth is being held up by a featureless individual on their shoulders. The moon is to the left with the text "Stop Pollution" in a ribbon around it.

Finalists: Jonathan S., Grade 7, Indiana, USA (left), Liam D., Grade 7, Pennsylvania, USA (right)

 Drawing of a girl leaning on the edge of the beach with three toy boats and she is placing a flag that reads "Follow MARPOL rules" into the ocean. Drawing of a ship on the ocean with shipping containers. The side of the ship reads "Cargo." Underneath the ship is a collection of sea creatures that are struggling with polluted items in the ocean.

Finalists: Neema J., Grade 7, Maryland, USA (left), Serena W., Kindergarten, Michigan, USA (right)

 Image of two ships on the ocean, one in the foreground and one in the background. One of the ships is cleaning up trash as fish and an Orca jump out of the water. Drawing of a ship docked on the shore and a sailboat. There are penguins and an orca in the water. The text "2024" is on the side of the ship as a dog and fruit are also on the ship.

Finalists: Sharon G., Grade 2, Florida, USA (left), Sophia C., Kindergarten, Florida, USA (right)

 

 

Art depicting a drawing with vibrant colors of several ships in the water with buildings and port containers along the bank of the water, along with a larger ship with the words green ship tech.

2022 Theme "New Technologies for Greener Shipping"
 

USCG Student Art Contest 2021 Results

2021 Theme "Seafarers: At the Core of Shipping’s Future”

 

USCG Student Art Contest 2020 Results

2020 Theme "Sustainable Shipping for a Sustainable Planet.”

 

USCG Student Art Contest 2019 Results

2019 Theme "All Aboard! There’s a Place for you in the Maritime Community."

 

USCG Student Art Contest 2018 Results

2018 Theme "Better Shipping for a Better Future."