While the recent California wildfires are a tragic reminder of the ongoing climate crisis, Bow Seat’s 2024 Ocean Awareness Contest, “Tell Your Climate Story,” was already showcasing the deep concerns young people have about our rapidly changing planet. The Contest invited young artists to creatively explore and express the impact of climate change on their lives and communities. Many of the submissions poignantly captured the urgent need for climate action, highlighting themes like wildfires, rising temperatures, and the loss of biodiversity—all consequences of a warming world. Although the California fires occurred after the Contest, the themes explored in the artwork resonate more strongly than ever. The Contest’s young artists conveyed their deep understanding of how global warming contributes to extreme weather events such as wildfires. Through their art, they illustrated the urgency of addressing climate change and its devastating effects, reminding us that these environmental cr...