By: Sarah Lowe, Great Lakes Regional Coordinator for the NOAA Marine Debris Program
The NOAA Marine Debris Program is excited to announce the winners of the third annual Ohio Marine Debris Challenge!
This contest is open every year to students in grades 9-12 who are enrolled in recognized public, private, and home schools in Ohio’s Lake Erie coastal communities. Students complete lessons and create a public service announcement to help raise awareness of marine debris. Winning teams were recognized last week at an awards ceremony at Cedar Point Amusement Park and were given recognition by members of congress, including Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, Congressman Jim Renacci, Senator Rob Portman, and Senator Sherrod Brown. This year’s winners include:
First Place - Perkins High School (Teacher: Ashlie Gowitzka): Ashley K., Madison L., Olivia S., Hannah S., and Abby S.
Second Place - Perkins High School (Teacher: Ashlie Gowitzka): Derick C., Noah H., Jacob V., and Chris W.
Third Place - Brunswick High School (Teacher: Laurie Hinkle): Alexis M., Bianca R., Jaden T., and Sarah Z.
To learn more about the contest and see the winning videos, check out the contest webpage.
Congratulations winners!
This contest is in partnership with Ohio Sea Grant, The Ohio State University Stone Laboratory, Ohio Congressional District 9 (Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur), Ohio Congressional District 14 (Congressman David Joyce), Ohio Congressional District 16 (Congressman James Renacci), Senator Rob Portman, Senator Sherrod Brown, and Cedar Point Amusement Park. We would additionally like to thank the Lake Erie Charter Boat Association, Miller Ferry Boat Line, The Greater Cleveland Aquarium, and the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo for their contributions to the winning teams.