小蝌蚪APP

South Artist Wins Girl Scout Award

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Posted on January 28, 2020

Thomas Becnel

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Grace Richardson, a 小蝌蚪APP freshman, has won a Girl Scout Gold Award for the art work and environmental advocacy she combined in a high school campaign called 鈥淧roject Aquarius.鈥�

The 19-year-old from Hoover was inspired by a ninth-grade visit to the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, a research and educational facility comprised of institutions including the 小蝌蚪APP. She did paintings, created a website and spoke to community groups about ocean conservation.

鈥淢y thing is the Girl Scouts and art,鈥� Richardson said. 鈥淚 wanted to do something big with that.鈥�

鈥淧roject Aquarius鈥� wound up winning the Girl Scouts鈥� highest honor, which was announced this month.

鈥淏y earning the Gold Award, Grace has become a community leader,鈥� said Karen Peterlin, chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama. 鈥淗er accomplishments reflect leadership and citizenship skills that set her apart.鈥�

Richardson chose to study art at South Alabama because of its animation program. Her dream is to work at Disney on the kind of animated movies she loved growing up. She鈥檚 seen her favorite films dozens and dozens of times.

鈥溾�楾angled鈥� 鈥� 鈥楾angled鈥� is my favorite,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd 鈥楾reasure Planet.鈥� Nobody knows that one, but it鈥檚 one of my favorites, too.鈥�

搁颈肠丑补谤诲蝉辞苍鈥檚 welcomes visitors with a beach close-up and simple slogan: 鈥淭he ocean needs you.鈥�

A gallery of paintings offers titles such as 鈥淩ed Tide,鈥� 鈥淏leached Reef鈥� and 鈥淧lastic Jelly.鈥� A section called 鈥淲hat You Can Do鈥� recommends that people conserve water, refuse plastics and consume sustainably fished or farmed seafood. There are links to green retailers and marine advocacy groups.

At her high school, Richardson recruited fellow students to help paint an ocean mural on a cafeteria wall, which wasn鈥檛 even part of her project. At her church, she turned a gallery opening into an environmental program, convincing elders to stop using Styrofoam products.

At South, she keeps busy with classes and activities with the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority. She enjoys spending time around the courtyard of the Visual Arts Building. She likes living near the Gulf Coast.

This summer, Richardson will return to the Girl Scouts as a camp counselor. She鈥檚 known many of her scouting friends since they were in kindergarten. She鈥檚 a lifetime Girl Scout member.

鈥淧roject Aquarius鈥� might not be her last attempt at art and activism. She isn鈥檛 sure where her career will lead.

鈥淎nimation is storytelling for all ages,鈥� Richardson said. 鈥淵ou see it all the time in small ways.鈥�

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