Species on the Edge

Art + Essay Contest

The Species on the Edge Art + Essay Contest empowers fifth grade students to advocate for an at-risk wildlife species through a well-researched, creative essay and original art piece. Students must choose a species that is listed as endangered or threatened in the State of New Jersey. A complete list of acceptable species can be found in the contest kit or by clicking below.

The contest is free and open to all New Jersey fifth graders. All entries must follow guidelines listed in the contest kit.

One winner is selected from each New Jersey county. Each winner will see their art featured in a beautiful calendar; have their art exhibited at venues across New Jersey; celebrate with an awards ceremony; and enjoy a trip to Sedge Island, where a unique natural resource education center is located in the middle of Barnegat Bay and home to New Jersey’s only marine conservation zone.

2025 Winners + Runners Up

Congratulations to the winners! Thank you to everyone who participated.

Atlantic County

First Place – Sarika Sakhalkar (Belhaven Middle School)

Second Place – Milana Vorobeva (Belhaven Middle School)

Bergen County

First Place – Lieul Lee (Northvale School)

Second Place – John Chanwoo Lee (Upper School Elementary School)

Burlington County

First Place – Axford Higginbotham (Kenneth R. Olson Middle School)

Second Place – Russell Czekanski (Kenneth R. Olson Middle School)

Camden County

First Place – Maria Rodas Garcia (Mary E. Volz School)

Second Place – Chloe Lender (Mary E. Volz School)

Cape May County

First Place – Emma Zweigenbaum (Dennis Township Elementary School)

Second Place – Emery Macomber (Dennis Township Elementary School)

Essex County

First Place – Tashvi Gandhi (Yantacaw Elementary school)

Second Place – Riya Parikh (Washington Elementary School)

Gloucester County

First Place – Calliope Glassman (J. Mason Tomlin Elementary School)

Second Place – Michael Montanero (J. Mason Tomlin Elementary School)

Hudson County

First Place – Nabiha Mgaresh-Parke (Mifftaahul Uloom Academy)

Second Place – Ruby Kalish (All Saints Episcopal Day School)

Hunterdon County

First Place – Ali Rowe (East Amwell Township School)

Second Place – August Schaefer (High Bridge Middle School)

Mercer County

First Place – Geordie Feller (Toll Gate Grammar School)

Second Place – Josie Radler (Omni World Academy)

Middlesex County

First Place – Hope Nolasco (Greater Brunswick Charter School)

Second Place – Leo Xu (Little Fish Art Studio)

Monmouth County

First Place – Aurelia Aponte (Nut Swamp Elementary School)

Second Place – Noah Mangone (Nut Swamp Elementary School)

Morris County

First Place – Michaela Mendoza (Chester M. Stephens Elementary)

Second Place – Abeer Tokkar (Chester M. Stephens Elementary)

Ocean County

First Place – Logan McGuire (Nellie F Bennett Elementary)

Second Place – Dominic Zinser (Nellie F Bennett Elementary)

Passaic County

First Place – Vincent Botsolas (EG Hewitt Elementary School)

Second Place – Victoria Trayanov (Clifton Public School 9)

Salem County

First Place – Erika Schaller (Creativity CoLaboratory Charter School)

Second Place – Maggie Harz (Creativity CoLaboratory Charter School)

Somerset County

First Place – Amelia Aron (Mount Horeb Elementary School)

Second Place – Klari Jalies (School of Saint Elizabeth)

Sussex County

First Place – Amelia Eaton (Sandyston-Walpack Consolidated School)

Second Place – Josephine Farrell (Sandyston-Walpack Consolidated School)

Union County

First Place – Natalia Huaman (St. Theresa’s School)

Second Place – Adrian Molina Aplicano (Malcolm E. Nettingham Middle School)

Warren County

First Place – Autumn Calvano (Ridge and Valley Charter School)

Second Place – Anders Hall (Ridge and Valley Charter School)