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LPHS Classes Claim Prizes In Shedd Aquarium's 'Wreath-Cycled Challenge'

By Ted Cox | December 20, 2016 5:30am
 The class of Lincoln Park High School visual arts teacher Eric Hill was named most creative for this wreath imagined as a porthole, with Disney mermaid Ariel cavorting with a seal.
The class of Lincoln Park High School visual arts teacher Eric Hill was named most creative for this wreath imagined as a porthole, with Disney mermaid Ariel cavorting with a seal.
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Shedd Aquarium

LINCOLN PARK — The Shedd Aquarium tapped not one but two Lincoln Park High School classes for prizes in an educational contest called the Wreath-Cycled Challenge.

The Shedd announced Monday the high school had won for most creative and best educational message in the contest, which challenged students to make holiday wreaths out of recycled materials to illustrate the topic "Water Wellness."

Students of visual arts teacher Eric Hill submitted a wreath that was named most creative. It imagined the wreath as an underwater porthole, with Disney mermaid Ariel seen inside cavorting with a seal.

Hill said students Tida Mien and Emily Splinter are both in two of his classes, and he suggested the contest for extra credit. The porthole is made from cardboard and cardboard tubes, with bottle caps as rivets. The inner image was made from found paper, and according to Hill they sort of stumbled into a seashell effect by treating the paper with sandpaper to give it a roughened texture.

"They did a great job," Hill said.

An accompanying essay noted that the Chicago River was found to be only "fair" in water quality, adding, "Conserving and changing our normal routines can be challenging at first but will benefit not only the individual, but the community as a whole. We can responsibly enjoy our environment, as long as we remind ourselves of the consequences of our own actions."

Aimee Smith's computer science class delivered a wreath with the best educational message. Including a water flower and an octopus, its accompanying text stated: "For the animals that live in water, we endanger them with the threat of contamination such as trash dumping, chemical contamination, and the raising water temperatures caused by global warming. It is our responsibility to conserve and protect the beautiful waters and those who live in it for we have but a single earth."

Smith said it was the work of students Andy Fung and Jana Mustafa. "Jana thought that the water-lily was a good way to picture clean water since they are pretty and help clean the water," she said. The octopus, Smith added, is made from a plate, ribbon and bottle caps.

"Andy and Jana's message ties directly into taking action to promote water wellness," Smith said. "I am so pleased for them."

The contest was open to schools in the city and suburbs. The Shedd received 90 submissions, hung in the Caribbean Reef exhibit for voting on site and online. Lincoln Park was the only multiple winner. The classes get a gift card from the Shedd to buy school supplies.

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