Guerrero showcased her talent and commitment to the environment by creating a stunning piece of art depicting a grey-headed albatross out of cardboard, paper, an egg cage and a juice bottle. The challenge has become a much-anticipated summer activity for Nini and her brother Sam, who was one of the winners of last year’s competition. The local family said they go to the library together to learn about the animals and learn about their habitat and environment.
Nini Guerrero, 5, of Queen Creek is one of five winners of OdySea Aquarium’s fourth annual Conservation Art Challenge.
The challenge is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ “Party for the Planet” initiatives and is the largest joint celebration of Earth Day, Endangered Species Day and World Oceans Day in North America. OdySea Aquarium said it is using the opportunity to encourage children under 12 to research and create a land, sea or sky animal using recycled materials.
In addition to the educational aspect, each contest entrant received a free children’s ticket to OdySea Aquarium in Scottsdale. Over the past four years, this contest has attracted thousands of young artists from across the valley and showcased a diverse range of masterpieces in all shapes and sizes. This year, OdySea received a record-breaking 933 creative animal art submissions.
Guerrero showcased her talent and commitment to the environment by creating a stunning piece of art depicting a grey-headed albatross out of cardboard, paper, an egg cage and a juice bottle. The competition has become a much-anticipated summer activity for Nini and her brother Sam, who was one of the competition winners last year. The local family said they go to the library together to read up on the animals and learn about their habitat and environment before creating their artwork for the annual competition.
In addition to free admission, Guerrero and her immediate family were invited to the aquarium for an exclusive celebration honoring the five winners of the Conservation Art Challenge. To match these young artists, each received a unique painting created by one of OdySea Aquarium’s penguins, otters or sea lions. According to OdySea officials, painting is a form of enrichment for the animals as it encourages them to exercise control and choice in their environment, which increases their overall well-being.
As an additional surprise, the winners were given the exclusive opportunity to feed and touch cownose stingrays at Stingray Bay. Despite a few splashy moments, the children enjoyed this unique experience.
The annual Conservation Art Challenge encourages children’s creativity and raises awareness about the importance of conservation. OdySea officials praised Guerrero for her understanding of the importance of protecting the environment and wildlife.
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