Teens Explored Ocean Issues in Aquarium’s Inaugural High Tide Film Festival
The Aquarium received eighty submissions from high school students in twenty cities across Southern California for its inaugural High Tide Film Festival presented by Dr. Allen and Charlotte Ginsburg.

Credit: Aquarium of the Pacific/Andrew Reitsma
July 9, 2021
Students in grades nine through twelve submitted three-minute films in three categories: Ocean and Me, Thriving in a Changing Climate, and Responsible Seafood. A panel of seventy-two volunteer judges selected bronze, silver, and gold winners in each category, as well as two honorable mentions. The judges comprised sixty Aquarium staff members and a group of twelve community representatives, including city councilmembers, local business owners, school officials, and others.
The finalists attended an awards ceremony in the Aquarium’s Honda Pacific Visions Theater on June 2, 2021. The winners received cash prizes ($1,000 for bronze, $1,500 for silver, and $2,000 for gold) and four tickets to the Aquarium.
2021 Winners
Ocean and Me | |
Bronze | SCUBA Kalani Ono Lakewood High School |
Silver | Señora Océano Omar De Leon Bonita High School, La Verne |
Gold | Our Friend, The Ocean Katelyne Gonzalez Whitney High School, Cerritos |
Thriving in a Changing Climate | |
Bronze | The Fight Against Climate Change Lana Missios Long Beach Polytechnic High School |
Silver | Ocean Life: Thriving in a Changing Climate Liam Wright San Marino High School |
Gold | Dreaming of the Deep Darwin Melchiorre Sage Oak High School, Redlands |
Responsible Seafood | |
Silver | Conservative Seafood Dedrin Thompson Long Beach Polytechnic High School |
Gold | Kelp California Davey Schneider Serrano High School, Wrightwood |
Staff Picks | |
Honorable Mention |
HOME Alan Mai El Modena High School, Orange |
Honorable Mention |
My Best Friend Jack Irwin Long Beach Polytechnic High School |