In mid-November, three Harker eighth graders were honored in the Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest’s junior division. This year’s contest, held by Bow Seat Ocean Programs, received 4,000 entries from around the world and aimed to inspire youth to learn about and take action on climate change. Students researched and wrote about climate issues in their grade 7 expository writing classes, and their essays were entered into the contest as part of the curriculum.

Megha Unny’s short story, “The Myth of Climate Change,” earned her a silver medal and $750 prize. Anika Basu received an honorable mention and a $100 prize for a satirical news story, titled “World News: Climate Study Reports That Antarctica Could Support Multiple Golf Resorts by 2050.” Liam McGrath’s poem, “Our Great Barrier Grief,” also won an honorable mention and a $100 prize.

Additionally, middle school English teacher Marjorie Hazeltine received an Educator’s Award along with $750 to put toward education on climate change. “I submitted a summary of the way I used the contest in my classroom at Harker,” Hazeltine said. “The theme last year created the perfect opportunity to teach satire, persuasion, rhetoric and humor.”