At St Francis Catholic College Edmondson Park, students have engaged in the Speaking 4 the Planet Competition. Speaking 4 the Planet is an Arts-based approach to sustainability that invites students to participate in an annual online competition in the categories of public speaking, visual arts, drama, writing, video or memes/cartoons. In 2021, the theme was “Rewind the clock – reverse ecosystem degradation.” 

Amalia, who is a proud member of the SEALS Squad, took part in the competition during lockdown and remote learning and was awarded the 3rd Prize in the “Art” category.  She chose to do an artwork to not only challenge herself with her artistic abilities, but to also create a piece to visualise her insights about rewinding the clock to reverse ecosystem degradation.

Artist's description:

My artwork was designed to represent the dying 50% of the Great Barrier Reef. It relates to the topic, “​​Rewind the clock – Reverse ecosystem degradation,” as on the top half of the hourglass, it is a healthy coral reef and says “Rewind, look back to what it was”. Here, I am drawing attention to what the Great Barrier Reef once was; bold and beautiful, but now it is unrecognisable. The bottom half of the hourglass is an unhealthy coral reef that has been destroyed - result of an ecosystem degradation. I have stated loudly, “ Time is running out, we must change our ways”, to highlight the rewinding of the clock. The painting itself is an hourglass that signifies the role time has played in this degraded ecosystem.
I made this artwork with a purpose - a message to people that we have to change our ways before it is too late. We do not want these times to continue.