Kindergarten to College, Students Communicate Climate Through Art
December 11, 2020
By Selena Langner
Over 60 students competed in an art and photography contest organized by the Atlanta Global Studies Center (AGSC) in partnership with the German Consulate General in Atlanta and the Georgia Department of Education this October as part of the second-annual Global Climate Action Symposium. Renowned German photographer and climate activist Barbara Dombrowski served as primary judge for the contest, which challenged participants to communicate their perspectives on our changing climate. Students ages 5-20 from across Georgia were encouraged to photograph and submit their work online, along with a caption explaining their process. Submissions included needlepoint embroidery, drawings, paintings and landscape photography. “I was very lucky to see what huge creativity is in Atlanta and in the youth”, Dombrowski remarked while presenting the winners on the final day of the Symposium.
The Global Climate Action Symposium is an annual collaboration between the Georgia Tech Global Change Program, the Atlanta Global Studies Center, the Center for Serve-Learn-Sustain, and 6 European consuls based in Atlanta (Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, and Switzerland), and was hosted as a virtual, fully online event in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Explore the full gallery of student art submissions.
Watch Barbara Dombrowski’s virtual exhibit, “Art and Climate Justice.” Watch the full 2020 Global Climate Symposium recordings.
Contest Winners
Kindergarten-5th Grade
- 1st Place Saniya Penny
- 2nd Place Taylor Smitherman
- 3rd Place Sai Srikar Patnaik
6th-9th Grade
- 1st Place Elisabeth Robinson
- 2nd Place Anya Biswas and Saishree Patnaik
- 3rd Place Alexander Hogben
10th-12th Grade
- 1st Place Whitney Pruitt
- 2nd Place Larisa Prieskorn
- 3rd Place Bryan Quigley and Neha Eloore
Undergraduate and Postgraduate
- 1st Place Patricia Graffunder
- 2nd Place Kristina Hilko
- 3rd Place Lydia Fletcher
Kindergarten to College, Students Communicate Climate Through Art
Kindergarten to College, Students Communicate Climate Through Art
By Selena Perrin
Over 60 students aged kindergarten through college competed in an art and photography contest this October as part of the second-annual Global Climate Action Symposium. Renowned German photographer and climate activist Barbara Dombrowski served as primary judge for the contest, which challenged participants to communicate their perspectives on our changing climate. Submissions ranged from needlepoint embroidery, to drawings, paintings and landscape photography. “I was very lucky to see what huge creativity is in Atlanta and in the youth”, Dombrowski remarked while presenting the winners on the final day of the Symposium.
College-Level First Place Winner: Patricia Graffunder 
College-Level Second Place: Kristina Hilko 
College-Level Third Place: Lydia Fletcher 
Grade 10-12 First Place Winner: Whitney Pruitt 
Grade 10-12 Third Place (Tie): Neha Eloore 
Grade 10-12 Third Place (Tie): Bryn Quigley 
Grade 6-9 First Place Winner: Elisabeth Robinson 
Grade 6-9 Second Place (Tie): Anya Biswas 
Grade 6-9 Second Place (Tie): Saishree Patnaik 
Grade 6-9 Third Place: Alexander Hogben 
Grade K-5 First Place Winner: Saniya Penny 
Grade K-9 Second Place: Taylor Smitherman 
Grade K-9 Third Place: Sai Srikar Patnaik
The Global Climate Action Symposium is an annual collaboration between the Georgia Tech Global Change Program, the Atlanta Global Studies Center, the Center for Serve-Learn-Sustain, and 6 European consuls based in Atlanta (Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Germany, the UK, and Switzerland), and was hosted as a virtual, fully online event in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Explore the full gallery of submissions here. Watch Barbara Dombrowski’s virtual exhibit, “Art and Climate Justice” here. Watch the full Symposium here.