Fourth grade students at James H. Vernon School are making their mark on Long Island’s coastline, literally, thanks to Audubon New York’s “Share the Shore” initiative. The statewide conservation program invites students to help protect vulnerable coastal bird populations through public art. This year, nine Vernon students were selected as winners for their vibrant, bird-friendly beach sign designs.
The winning artwork will be transformed into weather-resistant educational signs that will be installed this summer at four popular Long Island beaches: Stehli Town Beach, Centre Island Beach, Sunken Meadow State Park and West Meadow Beach. These signs aim to raise awareness among beachgoers about the importance of sharing shoreline space with nesting and migratory birds.
“These signs are not just informative – they’re beautiful pieces of art,” said Erica Giglio Pac, Oyster Bay-East Norwich’s Director of Fine, Performing and Media Arts. “Our students have used their creativity to promote environmental stewardship in a way that’s both engaging and impactful.”
The nine student winners- Dimitra Belesis, Reese Blaeser, Thomas Crawford Kwon, Kylie Joannon, Hailey Kopacz, Dean Godoy, Ainhoa Silva Lorca, Emily Sullivan and Andrew Terranova- were selected for their compelling designs that promote safe and respectful behavior around coastal bird habitats.
Ten additional students received honorable mentions for their thoughtful and artistic entries: Hannah Ansbro, Natalia Fortich, Juliet Talamo, Anastasia Karpavicius, Mila Murray, Zachary Paleos, Madeleine Petrara, Vivian Ramprashad, Valentina Ruiz de Luque and Wesley Snyder.
