“;Let's All Work Together to Save Our World”; was the slogan Justin Heltman chose in designing a poster depicting the negative effects of marine debris in our oceans.

The 11-year-old's artwork calls attention to the demise of sea turtles, seals and fish due to the presence of harmful plastics and fishing lines in our oceans, which are ingested by sea creatures or lead to their entanglement and eventual death by strangulation or drowning.

Eddie Joaquin, 11, also chose to focus on habitat destruction.

“;My artwork is about plastic and rope destroying coral. I hope my drawing will show people why they shouldn't throw rubbish in the ocean.”;

Joaquin said he didn't really think about these issues in the past.

“;I didn't know that it hurt the animals,”; he said.

He and fellow fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders at Alvah Scott Elementary and other schools learned about these issues through Beach Environmental Awareness Campaign Hawaii (BEACH), an organization founded in 2006 by Suzanne Frazer and Dean Otsuki to raise environmental awareness.

“;Hawaii is located in the middle of the Pacific, and we are collecting a bunch of unusual trash,”; said Frazer. “;We find Asian characters on buoys, plastic cones form Korea, things that come from various countries. It takes years for these things to get here. We want people to understand that something needs to be done about it.”;

The kids appeared to receive the message loud and clear. Now, Joaquin said he stops to pick up trash he finds along the shoreline during visits to the beach.

“;I was surprised at how much stuff is found in the ocean,”; said 11-year-old Jayvin Alcantra. “;We need to try to take care of the ocean because it's getting polluted with debris. ... And, the sand is eroding,”; he said.

Ten-year-old Kyle Madriaga titled his piece “;Help Pollution Before It's Too Late”; and included sketches of baby turtles being eaten by birds.

“;If there is marine debris, baby turtles can't make it to the ocean, and birds might eat them,”; he said.

Kealani Young-Rios, 11, painted a sad-looking turtle entangled in rope attached to a rock.

“;If a turtle gets stranded in ropes, it has to struggle to get to the surface and could get stuck. That's sad.”;

Anesha Bee-Henriques, age 10, decided to sketch a turtle eating a plastic bag.

“;The turtle thought the plastic bag was a jellyfish,”; she explained. “;Lots of people are littering and don't seem to care, and lots of animals are dying. Birds are feeding garbage to their babies that they can't digest.”;

Small plastic items are major culprits, according to Frazer. These include bottle caps, bottles, plastic spools, lighters, toys, toothbrushes and combs.

Frazer hopes that the children's' artwork—to be displayed in local libraries and at the Capitol—will also raise awareness in the community.

“;This covers all kinds of things, including science and social studies,”; said fifth-grade teacher Mary Agor. “;We're always talking about the reef, so it fits into our lesson plan.”;

“;It's such an important message,”; said the school's librarian, Sharon Browne. “;Our student council started a recycling program, and we held a recycle fair. We really try to promote this stuff.”;

Student ocean artwork is on display through June 11, unless otherwise stated, at the following locations:

» Ewa Beach Public and School Library: Exhibition of works by Campbell High School students in grades 10 through 12

» Liliha Public Library: Works by seventh-graders at Hongwanji School and sixth-graders from St. Theresa School

» Kapolei Public Library: Works by Island Pacific Academy seventh- and eighth-graders

» McCully-Moiliili Public Library: Works by University Laboratory School ninth-graders on view through June 12

» Kahuku Public & School Library: Work by fifth-graders at Hauula Elementary featured

» Aiea Public Library: Artwork by Alvah Scott Elementary fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders on view

» Salt Lake-Moanalua Public Library: Artwork by Alvah Scott fourth-, fifth- and sixth-graders on view

» Kaneohe Public Library: Mokapu Elementary fifth-graders' work on view

» Waimanalo Public & School Library: Mokapu Elementary fifth-graders' work on view

» Hawaii State Library: Show of work from various schools opens June 8

» Hawaii State Capitol auditorium foyer: Show of work from various schools opens June 8