Brockton, MA—March 14, 2007 -- The kindergartners at the Raymond School made whales to save whales. For the past several months, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (NA) has been helping with an art project spearheaded by west-coast artist Peggy Oki. Students across the country are making origami whales which will be displayed at the upcoming International Whaling Commission meeting in Alaska. Ms. Oki plans to display a curtain of more than 28,000 origami whales to symbolize all of the whales that have been hunted by Japan, Iceland and Norway since the whaling moratorium went into effect. The Brockton kindergartners contributed 86 whales to the project.
“There’s lots of whales to help save whales” said WDCS senior biologist Regina Asmutis-Silvia “through science, art, writing and conserving energy- everyone can do something, no matter where you live, or how old you are”. Students learned that simple activities like picking up trash, shutting lights off, and not releasing balloons are all ways to help save whales. According to Asmutis-Silvia, “Helping students understand the concept of ‘endangered’ and empowering them to make a difference is crucial to the survival of all whales.”
WDCS provides in school programs to schools in eastern Massachusetts and runs the humpback Whale Adoption Project. For more information, you can visit their website at www.whales.org or call us at 508-746-2522.
Notes to Editor
For more information, or for additional pictures, please contact Regina Asmutis-Silvia on 508 451 3853 or email regina.asmutis-silvia@wdcs.org.
The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (North America) Inc., (WDCS) is the global voice for the protection of whales and dolphins and their environment. It is based in Plymouth, MA and is part of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, a charity registered in England. The group has over 70,000 supporters world-wide and has a presence in a number of countries in Europe as well as in Argentina and Australia. For further information on the extent and scope of the organization’s work please click here.
Source: WDCS (NA)
WDCS
is the global voice for the protection of whales, dolphins
and their environment
