2024 Bow Seat Annual Report
The Tide of Jellyfish Seogwipo, Republic of Korea
Photo: Hyemin Lyoo / Bow Seat
Where we’ve been; Where we’re going
In 2011, while filming a documentary about environmental issues impacting the Gulf of Maine with my then-teenage daughters, I was struck by the power of artmaking to create a depth of understanding and engagement that traditional classroom learning typically does not. It was then that the idea of Bow Seat was formed. I had no idea that 14 years later this idea would become an organization that has engaged nearly 40,000 young people from all 50 U.S. states and more than 140 countries around the world and distributed $783,850 in scholarships. I am so humbled by the passion, talent, and drive of these remarkable young people who are deeply compelled to use their creative voices to be stewards of our beautiful planet through artivism.
This year, Bow Seat has continued to engage young people in environmental awareness and stewardship through our three main programs: the Ocean Awareness Contest, the Future Blue Youth Council (FBYC), and the True Blue Fellowship. This year’s Contest theme, Tell Your Climate Story, generated over five thousand powerful personal narratives and creative artworks depicting how climate change has gravely affected our lives. Our True Blue Fellows, mentored by the FBYC, tackled a broad range of environmental issues in their local communities through creative art projects. In addition to mentoring our Fellows, the FBYC wrote blogs, made social media posts, took on projects of their own, and provided valuable guidance for Bow Seat’s programs and future endeavors.
2024 also saw Bow Seat attend 13 conferences around the world! From Cali, Columbia to right here in our hometown of Boston, MA, members of the Bow Seat Team led workshops, exhibited student artwork, and engaged conference attendees in activities like button-making and collaging. Bow Seat also held 7 art exhibits featuring collections of student artwork on issues ranging from right whale conservation to Climate Heroes.
Bow Seat was thrilled to welcome Jess Leffler, as Bow Seat’s Senior Vice President, to the Team. Jess brings a wealth of experience from her time as Director of Sole Train: Boston Runs Together, and we are incredibly excited for what she will bring to the future of Bow Seat!
Jess wasn’t the only addition to the team this year! We also welcomed Montana Dickerson as our Summer intern and Dhruv Bhatt as our FBYC Advisor. We are also deeply grateful to all our youth alumni who have helped advance Bow Seat’s programming, from judging the Contest, reviewing FBYC and Fellowship applications, and more.
While we’re so proud of all we accomplished together in 2024, we’re already working hard to ensure that 2025 brings an even deeper level of impact, as the need for creative action and global collaboration to protect our one blue planet is more crucial now than ever.
Linda Cabot Founder and President
Photo: Emily Kim / Bow Seat
2024 Since 2011, Bow Seat has engaged over 38,000 young people from around the world
Overall Numbers
Number of Countries reached = 142
Number of U.S. States reached = 50
Number of Students Impacted = 38,391
Amount Awarded to Students = $783,850
Amount Awarded to Educators = $73,750
Amount Awarded in Grants to True Blue Fellows = $26,750
Earth song Nanjing, China
Photo: Yimeng Duan / Bow Seat
2024 Ocean Awareness Contest
Number of Participants = 5,215
Number of Countries = 91
Number of Winners = 506
Number of Winning Submissions = 433
Amount Awarded to Winners = $76,250
Future Blue Youth Council
13 = Number of FBYC Members
10 = Countries Represented by FBYC
$16,877 = Amount Paid
Fellowship Grant Program
Number of Fellows = 9
Number of Countries Represented by Fellows = 5
Amount Awarded to Fellows = $17,774
Social Media
32,286 = Total followers
8,741,548 = Total reactions & likes
198,000,000 = Total account views 14,834 = Total comments & replies
Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Contest
The 2024 Ocean Awareness Contest, Tell Your Climate Story, challenged participants to become climate witnesses and creatively express their personal experiences, insights, and
perceptions about our changing climate reality. Students from around the world created works of visual art, poetry, creative writing, film, dance, music, multimedia, and more about what climate change looks like in their own backyards.
From rising sea levels in Kiribati to wildfires in California, disappearing snow cover to potato shortages, this collection of work is a poignant testimony of what it’s like growing up in the era of climate change. While acknowledging the challenges posed by climate change, students also celebrated climate solutions and mitigation efforts in their lives like community gardens, buying secondhand, and using more sustainable modes of transportation.
Weight of the World Seongnam-si, Republic of Korea
Photo: Yoon Lee / Bow Seat
2024 Winners
Tnot every winner receives a monetary prize, they are all featured in our online Gallery his year, we recognized 506 winners across 433 winning submissions for their exceptional craftsmanship and adherence to the Contest theme. In total, we awarded $76,250 USD to Contest winners. While
We All Rise Prize
As part of Bow Seat’s long-term effort to increase the diversity of our program participants, we sponsor the We All Rise Prize, awards totalling $5,000 USD specifically for youth in the U.S. who self-identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or Latine.
The We All Rise Prize is an initiative to empower and uplift the voices of students who may not have had equitable access to the creative arts due to historic and systematic disinvestment in their communities.
Other Awards
Voice of the Sea Award
In partnership with poet, spoken word artist, and activist Tayllor Johnson, the Voice of the Sea Award recognizes an outstanding Spoken Word submission in each age division.
Ocean Soul Award
Selected by National Geographic photographer Brian Skerry, the Ocean Soul Award recognizes a visual art submission in each age division whose work captures the “soul” of the ocean.
There is still Hope Austin, TX
FIND
Photo: Ayelen Salas Ramirez / Bow Seat
VIEW THE WINNERS
Educator Innovation Award
The Educator Innovation Award (EIA) is a $500 cash prize for teachers or program coordinators who effectively and creatively bring the Ocean Awareness Contest into their classrooms, teaching entire groups of students about environmental issues and empowering them to be stewards of our blue planet. We recognize educators from our home state of Massachusetts through the Bay State Educator Award, which, in addition to the $500 EIA cash award, comes with a $250 classroom grant.
Judges
OKeren-happuch Garba, Umi Nadiroh Kudori, Emily Rathmell, Rebecca Maynard, Eduardo Ezequiel Soria, Caroline Chiu, Katie Lee Mansfield, Dr. Pratibha Singh
Photo: Bow Seat
ur 2024 judging team consisted of 82 artists, poets, writers, web designers, dancers, musicians, and more, all highly accomplished in their respective fields. Several of our judges are themselves Contest
alumni. This year, we welcomed 13 new judges to the team: Sophy Tuttle, Silvia Lopez Chavez, Melinda Edie, Craig Perez, Jennie Koh, Dhruv Bhatt, Yuzuna Kudo, Monica Johann Bose, Abbey Cahill, Malika Gizzat, Stephen Mishol, Maithreyi Bharathi, and Letise LaFeir.
FIND OUT MORE
VIEW THE WINNERS
FIND OUT MORE
Contest achievements in 2024
When asked how learning about climate change through the Contest made them feel, 62% of students reported feeling more positive emotions (inspired, empowered, motivated, hopeful). These
students attributed feeling like they were part of a community, learning about solutions, and gaining a sense of agency as the main reasons for these positive feeling
76% of students reported that participating in the 2024 Contest increased their knowledge of climate change or ocean issues.
86% reported that creating something for the Contest (i.e., art, writing, music, films, or multimedia) helped them personally connect with conservation topics.
70% stated that it impacted their worldview and behavior.
80% report that the Contest increased their confidence in creative skills.
Participants said
This experience has heightened my awareness of the fragility of our planet and the importance of taking proactive steps to protect and preserve it. I have become more mindful of my individual actions and their collective impact on the environment. From reducing my carbon footprint to advocating for sustainable practices in my community, I have been inspired to take concrete steps towards positive change.
Being a part of Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Programs has not only expanded my understanding of environmental challenges, but has also inspired me to take action. Reflecting on my journey, I've gained a deeper appreciation for the interconnectedness of our planet and the importance of youth involvement in environmental activism. It's empowering to know that through creativity, we can make a meaningful difference.
Sun Burn, 2024 Fullerton, CA
Photo: Haeny Lee / Bow Seat
Future Blue Youth Council (FBYC)
Bow Seat’s Future Blue Youth Council is a diverse, international group of Bow Seat program alumni working together to advance our mission and empower their peers to advocate for our
environment. Council members are paid to serve one-year terms as project managers, advisors, and creative idea generators.
The FBYC was first established in 2021. Council members:
Contribute experience, creativity, and insight to inform, advise, and shape Bow Seat’s educational programming
Help expand the reach of Bow Seat’s programs through community outreach, social media, blog writing, and more
Support Bow Seat’s by-youth, for-youth environmental grantmaking program, from reviewing applications to mentoring existing projects
Contribute to group initiatives
$16,877 USD
paid to FBYC members for their work
Blogs
The 2024 FBYC included many passionate and talented writers! Over the course of the year, Council members wrote several blogs for Bow Seat.
“Green Literature: Inspiring Change Through Words” by Tafadzwa Ashely Gore
“Step-by-Step: How to Be a Youth Activist” by Enya Fang
“We Need To Revamp Recycling” by Sabine Cuesta
“Silent Suffering: Pollution’s Impact on Indigenous Communities” by María Paz Dakota Ormeño Vasquez
“Water Scarcity: The Stories You Don’t Hear” by Keren-happuch Garba
“Waves of Change: Ocean Awareness in Landlocked Countries” by Charmaine Mupara
Social Media
2024 FBYC members helped run and develop content for the @future.blue.youth.council Instagram account. In addition to creating an FBYC mascot, they developed a “Blue Fact of the Week” series featuring fun facts about various sea animals. Some Council members also developed video content for Bow Seat’s TikTok account.
Climate Literacy
Keren-happuch Garba led a series of climate literacy workshops for students in her community in Kaduna, Nigeria. For many, these workshops were their first exposure to the concept of climate change. Keren-happuch covered everything from basic climate science to how climate change impacts northern Nigeria. The workshops also included an art-making component.
Art Contest/ Exhibit
Ahrin Lee, in collaboration with her school’s marine conservation club, held an environmental art competition at her school in Singapore. Submitted artworks were featured in a school art exhibition in celebration of Earth Day.
Climate Change Workshop Kaduna, Nigeria
Photo: Keren-happuch Garba /Bow Seat
LEARN MORE
Ahrin School Art Exhibition Singapore
Photo: Ahrin Lee/ Bow Seat
LEARN MORE
Wave Makers: FBYC 2024
To commemorate all the work FBYC members did in 2024, they developed an interactive mosaic titled Wave Makers: FBYC 2024. Designed by Ahrin Lee, this mosaic captures the wide-ranging work and accomplishments of our 2024 Council, both in their capacities as Council members and in their everyday lives.
Makers:
What they have to say
I am so sad that my time on the FBYC has come to an end, but it has honestly been a life-changing program that I will take with me for years to come. I am so extremely grateful to everyone on the Bow Seat team for giving me this opportunity, I am sure that I will stay in contact with the 2024 FBYC alumni for years to come.
SOFIA TASOLUK
“ “
This was an amazing year with the FBYC beyond what I could've imagined. It was lovely to have the opportunity to become a part of this community and take part in the meaningful Fellowship projects.
SABINE CUESTA
Wave
FBYC 2024 Future Blue Youth Council
Photo: Ahrin Lee /Bow Seat
LEARN MORE
2024 Council
Jing Graber
USA
Tafadzwa Ashely
Gore
Australia
Enya Fang Canada
Sabine Cuesta Canada
Charmaine Mupara
Zimbabwe
Sofia Tasoluk
USA
Maabena Edem
Nti
Ghana
Keren-happuch
Garba Nigeria
Ali Nasir Pakisthan
Sophie Kim USA
Ahrin Lee
Singapore
Tana Tahira
Valmond
Dominica
María Paz Dakota
Ormeño Vasquez
Peru
Fellowship Grant Program
The 2024 Fellowship Grant Program (now called the True Blue Fellowship) provided funding and mentorship for emerging youth leaders working to enact change in their local communities while incorporating the creative
arts. The Fellowship was an initiative originally created and led by the Future Blue Youth Council in 2021, and to this day, FBYCs serve as peer-to-peer mentors to each Fellowship project. Selected Fellows receive up to $2,500 in funding to accomplish their project that must utilize the creative arts; engage their local community, and ultimately have a tangible impact on their community and environment.
In 2024, the Fellows impacted over 6,700 people directly, including youth, women’s groups, and other members of their community. Additionally, the Fellows reached more than 80,000 people online through social media and other platforms to spread their educational messaging.
Projects funded
Monarchs Matter
Cynthia Zhang, United States
YouSpoken’s Pop-Up Climate Change Museum
Thivya Jeyapalan, Canada
MycoKnot
Paloma Lenz, United States
Mazingira School Drive – Raising Awareness and Rehabilitating Ikolomani Gold Mine
Purity Busena, Kenya
Mindful Nature
Joy Sandere, Kenya
Craft Planet
Kabir Olasebikan, Nigeria
The Blue Carbon: Ocean and Climate Art Camp
Javie Vinze Barcinal, Philippines
Creating for Change
Gwenan Walker, United States
The Eco Poets
Shamsuddeen Abdulkareem, Nigeria
Project Spotlights
The Eco Poets
Shamsuddeen Abdulkareem and his fellow Eco Poets recruited poets and developed poems to educate the public about climate change and the environment. They developed videos in both English and the local Hausa language to share on social media, You Tube, and T.V./radio stations. Online they were able to reach more than 23,000 individuals. The Eco Poets also performed at 31 youth events and schools throughout the year across Kano State, reaching 4,650 youth.
Mazingira School Drive - Raising Awareness and Rehabilitating Ikolomani Gold Mines
Purity Busena and the Mazingira School Drive team successfully rehabilitated 34 goldmine stations in Ikolomani. These areas were left unproductive and dangerous due to years of unregulated mining, but now they are being restored and put to productive use by youth and women in the local community.
They have also planted 9,250 native trees, which is helping to bring life back to the land, prevent soil erosion, and improve overall environmental health. Through community involvement, especially school children and volunteers, they have raised awareness about the impact of gold mining on the environment. These activities included cultural performances like songs, dances, poetry, and spoken word, which helped engage the community in sustainability efforts. Overall, they managed to hold 30 performances throughout Ikolomani within 10 months.
The Blue Carbon: Ocean and Climate Art Camp
Javie’s project centered around the "Blue Carbon: Ocean and Climate Art Camp" (May 3-5, 2024) and the "Bugsay: Panguyang sa Baybay" culmination and exhibit (August 3, 2024), which collectively fostered youth engagement, environmental advocacy, and community connection through a combination of education, creative expression, and interactive experiences.
The three-day Blue Carbon Camp was a transformative experience, providing youth opportunities for education, creative expression, connections to nature, and sharing their personal stories.
The “Bugsay: Panguyang sa Baybay” exhibit was a culmination of the camp’s outcomes, bringing participants and the broader community together through a plenary session about participant’s personal climate experiences, art presentations, interactive activities, and a film screening.
MycoKnot
Paloma Lenz hosted three workshops on Japanese knotweed and myceliumbased biomaterials with 90 local New Haven students and visiting international middle and high schoolers. After these workshops, these students would collectively participate in knotweed removal sessions. Using this knotweed as well as 3,900 grams of collected and repurposed plastic (yogurt cups, food containers, etc.), Paloma and her team built a 6.5’ tall geodesic dome at the Shepard Street Vegetable Garden. With this structure Paloma worked to rewrite the narrative of how Japanese Knotweed could be utilized.
To share her work, Paloma created a digital tutorial for dome construction, detailing all the steps of the process, and developed a resource on Japanese Knotweed and biomaterial fabrication. She gave several presentations to students from elementary school to university level, and was a finalist in the Global Environmental Education Partnership Youth Innovation Challenge
Fellows said
“
What I appreciated most about participating in the Fellowship Program was BowSeat's trust-based approach to building relationships with us grantees. The flexibility they provided throughout the program created an environment where I felt empowered to take initiative without the pressure of rigid expectations. This trust and understanding made the experience less overwhelming, allowing me to focus on the work and the meaningful impact we aimed to create. It was a refreshing contrast to more transactional approaches, and it reinforced the importance of fostering relationships built on mutual respect and care, which ultimately led to a more enriching and meaningful experience.
JANN VINZE BARCINAL
“
From participating in the Fellowship, I learned that inspiration is crucial to driving change. Raising awareness and presenting facts and statistics are helpful, but you can’t make people care about an issue if they don’t feel inspired or empowered. If someone doesn’t feel a connection with an issue like biodiversity loss, you need to help them discover it—show them why it’s relevant to their lives. Once you help them find that driving force, they will be willing to act on the issue.
The mentorship provided through the Fellowship was invaluable. My mentors were not only knowledgeable but also deeply supportive, offering both practical advice and emotional encouragement throughout the project. Their ability to challenge my thinking while also being empathetic to the challenges I faced helped me grow as a leader. The regular check-ins and insightful discussions made me feel more confident in executing my project and allowed me to see beyond the immediate scope to the long-term impact it could have.
JOY SANDERE
CYNTHIA ZHANG
Workshops and Exhibits
Every year, Bow Seat participates in numerous conferences, workshops, and exhibitions to spread our work and mission to new audiences. From students to policymakers, we love engaging with people around the
world interested in environmentalism, creative advocacy, or both! This year, we debuted a new collaging workshop, where youth were encouraged to reflect on their experiences with climate change by creating collages out of found materials. We also brought our button-maker far and wide, inviting event attendees to create buttons using art pulled from previous Contest yearbooks.
In 2024, Bow Seat attended the following events:
Boston Harbor Environmental Education Workshop (Dorchester, MA)
Massachusetts Environmental Education Society Annual Conference (Worcester, MA)
Boston High School Marine Science Symposium (Boston, MA)
Girl Scouts Global Leadership Conference (Newport, RI)
New England Youth Ocean Summit (Boston, MA)
Cool Science Showcase (Boston, MA)
World Ocean Day @ NEAq (Boston, MA)
National Marine Educators Association Annual Conference (Boston, MA)
World Water Forum (Bali, Indonesia)
Climate Beacon (Boston, MA)
Thinking About Climate Change: Art, Science and Imagination in the 21st Century (Boston, MA)
Convention on Biological Diversity (Cali, Colombia)
North American Association for Environmental Education Annual Conference (Pittsburgh, PA)
Social Media
Bow Seat’s social media absolutely took off in 2024, proving that young ocean advocates are more engaged than ever. We saw a 96.6% jump in followers, bringing our community to over 32,000 strong—proof to the growing
movement of youth using art and storytelling to fight for our planet. Our posts racked up 401,103 impressions, keeping our message in front of the right audiences. But what really stood out this year wasn’t just how many people saw our content—it was how deeply they connected with it.
Engagement skyrocketed across the board. We hit 8.7 million reactions and likes (a mind-blowing 396% increase), proving that our content isn’t just getting attention—it’s sparking real emotion and action. Even more exciting? 1.3 million shares, up 641%, showing that our community isn’t just listening; they’re amplifying the message. And with 14,834 comments (a 138% jump), we’re not just broadcasting, we’re building real conversations. Whether it’s celebrating young artists, tackling big issues like climate justice, or sharing must-know ocean facts, our content is making waves in the best way.
In a glance
Followers: 32,286 ( 96.6% increase from 16,421)
❤ Reactions & Likes: 8,741,548 ( 396% increase from 1,762,965)
Shares: 1,307,492 ( 641% increase from 176,445)
Comments & Replies: 14,834 ( 138% increase from 6,236)
Engagement Rate: 11.45% (⚡ More than double the industry benchmark)
Inbound Messages: 14,234 ( 121% increase from 6,428)
Total Profile Impressions: 92,575,606 ( 54.9% increase from 59,758,518)
≥198 Million
yes, that’s how many times our posts were viewed!
Going Forward
In 2024, we discontinued our use of Twitter/X due to policy changes that no longer aligned with our values, shifting our focus to platforms that foster positive, meaningful conversations. We joined Threads for real-time engagement and expanded to BlueSky in 2025, ensuring our advocacy thrives in inclusive digital spaces. Instagram remained our powerhouse, driving millions of reactions, shares, and comments, proving that visual storytelling is at the heart of our movement. As we move forward, we’re doubling down on highly shareable, community-driven content that inspires action for our ocean and our future.
Bow Seat Crew
Linda Cabot Founder & President
Jeremy Pivor Partnership & Youth Engagement Director
Ajay Sawant Social Media Director
Jess Leffler Senior Vice-President
Susan Tang Contest Program Director
Bhatt FBYC Advisor
Dhruv
Acknowledgments
We are deeply grateful to the following individuals and organizations for their invaluable support and contributions to our impact:
David Abel
Karen Alexander
Ed Anderson
Carolina Aragón
Priscilla “Dzidzor” Azaglo
Akhila Bandlora
Shauna Barbosa
Maithreyi Bharathi
Dhruv Bhatt
Big Blue and You
Black in Marine Science
Mary Bodwell
Abbey Cahill
Eric Carstens
Christopher Chagnon
Bob Chen
Raj Chokhani
Erin Chuba
Sydney Cole
Cool Science
Liz Cunningham
Ally Cunningham
Kayla Degala-Paraíso
Montana Dickerson
EarthEcho International
Eco Styles
Melinda Edie
Rick Edie
Environment America
Nicolle Fagan
Areesha (Syeda) Fatima
Sarah Finnie
Sam Fleming
FoProBiM
Lingzi Foundation
Daymarc Foundation
Cara Fritz
Michelle Garcia Fresco
Ely German
Girl Scouts of Green and White Mountains
Malika Gizzat
Anna Guzman
Mingchen H.
Rachel Ha
Aileen Han
Brandon Hanaoka
Amy Harff
Ari Hauben
Dara Herman-Zierlein
Isaias Hernandez
Nakia Hill
Nigella Hillgarth
Kelly Hui
Monica Jahan Bose
Sofia Jain
Jennifer Jean
Olivia Hai Lai Jiao
Tayllor Johnson
Shaomin Kee
Eson Kim
Jennie Koh
Chris Kondrich
Kai Kubota-Enright
Yuzuna Kudo
Letise LaFeir
Sharon Lax
Ahrin Lee
Anne Leslie
Saoirse Lewis
Nadine Lloyd
Silvia Lopez Chavez
Alvin Lu
Cynthia Lu
Quang Duy Mai
Free Marseille
Mackenzie Martin
Jacqui McCoy
Stephen Mishol
Holly Morin
Ashira Morris
North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)
New England Aquarium
Sylvia Nica
Brooke Nind
National Marine Educators Association (NMEA)
Andy O'Brien
Ademola Oyewole-Davis
Laura Parker Roerden
Craig Perez
Yanka Petri Rodrigues
Destiny Polk
Megan McInerney
slander prinston
Lisa Reindorf
Trevor Roberts
Caitlin Roberts
Wesley Rothman
Wyze Roundtree
Elisa Rowe
Jonathan Rowe
Sea Youth Rise Up (SYRUP)
Jayashabari Shankar
Brian Skerry
Griffin Smith
Georgia Stockwell
Maya Stroshane
Daria Syskine
Jason Talbot
Nuan Ning Teioh
The Iris Project
The Ocean Project
Sophy Tuttle
UNESCO Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development
Kellen Vu
Gwenan Walker
Ziyi Wang
Jean Wiener
E Wen Wong
Ashlee Yin
For feedback, insights or any further information about Bow Seat, contact info@bowseat.org
To stay up to date with the latest news and events, follow the Bow Seat on social media
Lens of Change Jericho, NY
Photo: Ruojin (Emma) Wu / Bow Seat