Document the Planet

Global Oneness: Student Photography

Dates: April 1, 2020 – June 1, 2020

Inspired by our film Earthrise by Emmanuel Vaughan-Lee, we challenge and encourage teens to enter a student photography contest to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of Earth Day. The Earthrise photograph was an impetus behind the environmental movement and the founding of Earth Day, which was created 50 years ago on April 22, 1970.

The Earthrise photograph had an everlasting impact on the astronauts and humanity, offering a powerful perspective that transcended national, political, and religious boundaries. It helped humanity to see our Earth as one ecosystem and has become one of the most iconic and widely reproduced and distributed images in history. How does the Earthrise photograph challenge us to consider our relationship to the Earth and provide a context for what it means to be a global citizen? How does the Earthrise photograph reflect the shared fate of humanity on the earth today?

We are all sheltering in place as we experience the coronavirus pandemic taking place around the world. How might we consider this moment in time and history? How might we reimagine and redefine the meaning of home?

Guidelines and Rules

1. Start by filling out this simple submission form.
2. Students (13 years and older) will submit one photograph in response to one of the following prompts:
   • What is your relationship to our planet?
   • How are we all interconnected?
   • In what ways is your community protecting the environment?
   • How can we change our perspective to see our planet as one home?
3. Photo entries must be accompanied by a short photographer’s statement (2-3 paragraphs) which responds to all of the following questions:
   • Which question/prompt did you choose to answer? Why?
   • How did the film Earthrise and/or the Earthrise photograph inspire and inform the decisions you made in taking your photograph?
   • If your photograph captures the place in which you live, why is this place important to you?
   • What would you like your place in the world to be remembered for?
4. Each contestant can submit only one entry—one photograph and one photographer’s statement.
5. Each photograph and response must be original and previously unpublished. Images do not have to be of the natural world but should help to express students’ human relationships (to their home, family, and/or community) as well as their perspective of the living world. Students can turn the camera on themselves, on their family members, or on their homes. Be creative!
6. The photograph submitted must take into consideration the Global Oneness Project platform and mission statement: Planting seeds of resilience, empathy, and a sacred relationship to our planet.
7. Visit the full Earthrise curriculum guide for discussion questions and ideas and to explore the following themes: the power of perspective, bearing witness, exploration, and reverence for the environment.
8. Your submitted photograph should be a JPEG that is no larger than 5mb. The photograph should not be a photo collage or photoshopped image. If your photograph contains a person, you will need to fill out and return the Photo Subject Release Form.
9. Eligible entries will be judged by a qualified panel consisting of professional filmmakers, photographers, and authorized personnel from the Global Oneness Project.
10. Prizes. Winners will be awarded $200 USD each and photographs will be published on the Global Oneness Project website.
11. Contestants must be ages 13 and up in the U.S. and 16 and up globally. Check our Submission Guidelines and Rules and our Terms of Service for more details.
12. All entries must be accompanied by this signed Parental Permission Form.
13. Ready to send your forms, photograph, and photographer’s statement?First, send your completed forms to info@globalonenessproject.org. Then we will email you an invitation to upload your photo and photographer’s statement to our Dropbox. Please include your name in the subject line so we can keep track of your submission.
14. All entries must be received by June 1, 2020 at 5pm/PST.

Photos to Share

Photography in the classroom

Recently I read a story that I found interesting and the photos fascinating. It’s an idea that is a creative example to share it with your students – photography or otherwise. Take a look, and if nothing else, I’m sure you’ll find the photos interesting.

It’s also a wonderful example of collaboration of two people on opposite sides of the world.

Find the article at THIS LINK. 

MLTI Artwork Challenge

Photographs needed – Deadline: January 16, 2017

The Singularity, Dante DesVeaux, Mount Desert Island High School, Grade 10 (2016-17 screen saver)

The MLTI Screensaver Challenge is currently open. Please read all the guidelines below and on the links. Guidelines located at THIS LINK. If you have any questions please contact Juanita Dickson.

Over the last eight years, the MLTI device has featured screen savers featuring outstanding student works of art (twenty each year). To date, there have been well over two thousand pieces of artwork submitted representing PK-12. With the variety of devices available at MLTI, images are now made available as a download for either a screensaver or background image on every MLTI device.

The students whose artwork is selected will have their artwork featured on the Big Screen at the MLTI Student Conference to be held May 25, 2017. The 20 artists will be receiving free conference registration and their artwork featured on 2017-2018 MLTI devices. Student’s artwork will be printed and displayed at the Department of Education during the summer of 2017.

All artwork should be submitted by an adult using our Google drive and Google forms. Complete directions can be found here.

Ocean Breeze, Taylor Fitzpatrick, Houlton Middle School, Grade 6 (2016-17 screen saver)

MLTI Student Artwork Challenge Timeline
January 16, 2017 – Submissions due.
January 17 – February 10, 2017 – Selection committee reviews submissions using a rubric.
February 13, 2017 – Teachers of the students with selected pieces will be notified by this date. A release form will need to be signed by parents and sent back to MLTI before any names are released to the public.
February 22, 2017 – Release forms due to back to the MLTI Project Office
Late February 2017 – Selected artwork information released to the public.
May 25, 2017 – Student Conference. Selected students will be invited to join us at the Student Conference free of charge (students will need to complete online registration)

DEADLINE: January 16, 2017.  Guidelines located at THIS LINK. If you have any questions please contact Juanita Dickson.

In Today’s News

Two articles

In the Maine Sunday Telegram, 18 December, 2 notable articles this week:

Rick Nickerson

The first article, written by Bob Keyes, is about Music Teacher Rick Nickerson who is one of 10 national finalists for the music educator Grammy Award. Many of you know Rick who has taught at Windham High School for 30 years and is totally committed to his students and community. I posted the initial story at THIS LINK. From one of Rick’s colleagues: “He brings what I like to call vibrant energy to the building,” said Thomas Noonan, who teaches English at Windham. “His students feed off of it, and it informs the whole school and the community. We’re all very happy for him.” This story paints a picture of Rick and what it means for him being a teacher – its not about him but the important work he does teaching, not only music – but life. The $10,000 prize for the winner will be announced in advance of the Grammy Awards TV broadcast on February 12.

Arthur Fink

The second article in the Sunday paper was written by the award winning writer Bill Nemitz, Photographer’s work with ‘short-lived children’ a personal mission is a story about the heart. Photographer Arthur Fink has been taking photos for a volunteer group called Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep for 40 years. Arthur is contacted when an infant is going to die to take pictures for the family. He lost his own infant Sarah, whose heart did not function properly 43 years ago when she was six days old. This article tells the story of the amazing work that Arthur does as a photographer. One mother said afterwards: “Arthur caught some very beautiful moments. That was the first time that any of us were able to hold her,” Nicole said. “We all got to share that moment together. And he captured all of that.” Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep calls it ‘bereavement photography‘.  Arthur says: “I just call it love being shared.” I want to take this opportunity to say THANK YOU ARTHUR! You can read the article by CLICKING HERE.

Greely High School and North Yarmouth Academy Exhibit

Greely High School and North Yarmouth Academy

Advanced Placement Studio Art

International Baccalaureate Studio Art

Untitled, 18" x 24" Mixed Media, Sarah Ingraham

Student Art Show at 317 Main Street, Yarmouth

An exhibit of work by students of Greely High School and North Yarmouth Academy

The exhibit will include drawings, paintings, mixed media, and photography.

Dainius Bukauskas AP NYA, Sarah Ingraham IB 1st year GHS, Olivia Ryder IB 1st year GHS, Lila Hall 1st year IB GHS, Emily Colesworthy AP GHS

OPENING RECEPTION Friday, April 6, 2012 6:00-7:30 pm

with live music by NYA Bluegrass Ensemble

Gallery Hours: 12:00-6:00 pm Monday-Friday through April 24, 2012

Open to the community!

317 Main St Community Music Center

Music Lessons, Jam Sessions, Cafe and Gallery. FMI call 846-9559 or visit www.317mainst.org

Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge

February 3, 2012 Science

In a special issue, Colin Norman, News Editor of Science, reports on the entries for the 2011 International Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge.

Metabolomic Eye, Bryan W. Jones (Photography - 1st Place)

The challenge has taken place for the past 9 years and is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and The purpose is to “promote cutting-edge efforts to visualize scientific data, principles, and ideas—skills that are critical for communication among scientists and between scientists and the general public, especially students.”

Imagine, creating images for communication? Sound familiar? This is taken from

Chapter 132 Maine Learning Results: Parameters for Essential Instruction- Visual Arts B3 Making Meaning, Pre-K-2: Students create art works that communicate ideas and feelings and demonstrate skill in the use of meida, tools, and techniques.

This year there were 212 entries from 33 countries. The finalists were selected and posted and visitors were asked to select their favorite. The “People’s Choice” was selected by the 3200 votes that came in. The winners are posted on an online slide show at http://scim.ag/y41Bht or at www.nsf.gov/news/scivis. You can read the entire article at http://www.sciencemag.org/content/335/6068/525.full.

The National Science Foundation encourages entries and the competition opens May 31, 2012. You can find information on their website (2nd link above).

Thank you to my colleague, Peter Bernard, at the Maine Department of Education, for sharing the link to this information.

Photo History Project

Photography Class Five Town History Project – Camden Hills Regional High School

Thank you to art teacher Carolyn Brown for submitting this blog post.

Kevin Johnson

Students in Ms. Brown’s Photo Studio classes at Camden Hills Regional High School are working on a “Then and Now” photo history project of the Five Towns CSD, including photos from Appleton, Hope, Lincolnville, Camden and Rockport.

Guest photographer and photo archivist Kevin Johnson, of the Penobscot Marine Museum, visited classes in late May. He showed students historic photos from the Eastern Illustrating photo archive, which includes photos of the Five Towns shot between 1909 and 1947. He explained how these photos were made with large cameras and glass plate negatives, and how he and his team of archivists have been cleaning, restoring and digitizing the glass plates. Students then tried out Kevin’s large-format camera, to get a feel for how the old photos were set up and shot.

Kevin Johnson, Heather Eaton

Students have selected old photos from the collection to reshoot with modern tools. The classes will select the best shots and create 25 pairs of images- one of the old shots with the scene as it looks today. These photos will be matted and framed, and become a permanent collection for CHRHS. Additionally, local historians will work with students to give background history about the history of the Five Towns area depicted in the photos. Eventually, the photos will be available on the Penobscot Marine Museum website, and mapped using GIS tools.

This project is supported by Youth Arts, the Bisbee Fund, and a donation from Laurie Adams. Anyone interested in learning more about the project, please contact teacher Carolyn Brown at Carolyn_Brown@fivetowns.net

More information about the Penobscot Marine Museum historic photo collection can be found on their website at http://www.penobscotmarinemuseum.org/photo-collections/index.html

Kevin Johnson, Dinara Galilulina

Follow up to Webinar

Painting a Picture: Image Processing for Digital Narratives

On March 3rd MLTI (Maine Learning Technology Initiative) presented a webcast called Painting a Picture: Imagine Processing for Digital Narratives. The facilitator was Ruben Puentedura who provided great information and instruction that can easily be adapted to use with students.

iphoto and Acorn were both tools that Ruben demonstrated to help construct digital narratives such as digital storytelling.  The TPCK and the SAMR models were referenced since MLTI uses both of these models. You can learn more about the models by clicking here.

The session was offered twice on March 3rd. I attended the 7PM session but you can access either session at http://maine121.org/?page_id=410