It’s no secret that one of the advantages to living in The Bahamas is the country’s natural beauty – being surrounded by crystal water isn’t something everyone in the world gets to enjoy. But what if, one day, the water was a little less aqua and a little more gray?

The Dolphin Encounters and Blue Lagoon Island teams have been known for their commitment to taking preemptive steps to preserve the health and allure of Bahamian waters. To spread the word, Dolphin Encounters staff are reaching out to schools throughout The Bahamas. Believing that knowledge is power, the team is offering free educational presentations to students and teachers on marine debris, where it comes from, how it affects the environment and how we can prevent it.

Now, Dolphin Encounters is asking students to lend a hand in the efforts. The team is sounding the call for students with an interest in preserving marine life and a good eye for color to get involved in the Dolphin Encounters Annual Marine Education Poster Contest. Students from kindergarten to grade 12 are invited to take part in the competition by designing posters under the theme “Marine Debris is NOT For Me”.

Marine debris is trash that has made its way into the ocean and threatens the well-being of aquatic animals, including those in and around Bahamian waters. Locally, most of the trash comes from beach goers and boaters, who leave behind materials like soda cans, food containers and cigarettes, which are then blown into the water. Studies show that if these materials were properly disposed of, Bahamian waters and beaches could be 82 percent cleaner!

To be eligible for the contest, students’ posters should:

• Be on unlined, standard letter-size paper (8.5 x 11 inches) without a firm or rigid backing;
• Reflect the theme with a saying or full sentence WRITTEN on the front of the poster with no spelling errors;
• Include the use of art materials such as pens, pencils, colored pencils, markers, crayons and paints;
• EXCLUDE the use of charcoal, sand, glitter, chalk or paste-ons;
• Involve drawings done FREEHAND, and not by stencils or tracing;
• Be free from computer graphics;
• Be submitted with an application form and delivered or mailed FLAT to Dolphin Encounters.

There are four age categories that students can enter:

• Kindergarten – grade two;
• Grade three – grade five;
• Grade six – grade eight;
• Grade nine – grade 12.

Every applicant with a completed artwork will receive a Sea Tag Award. Prizes will be awarded to students who place in the top three slots in their age category and the teachers of first-place prize winners in each age category.

Dolphin Encounters will, upon request, collect all applications from a school or mail boat by prior arrangement.

Deadline for all submissions is FEBRUARY 27, 2015. Submissions that are mailed in must be postmarked no later than FEBRUARY 21, 2015.