Mission Ocean Competition
Calling All Young Ocean Enthusiasts!
Get ready for a creative adventure. The Mission Ocean competition invites young minds across Belgium to dive into ocean conservation through imagination and creativity.
Your class is invited to come up with a creative idea, innovation, artwork, or concept that contributes to ocean conservation — and inspires others to do the same.
Bring it to life through any medium you choose: painting, drawing, a maquette, sculpture, photography, or anything else. The only limit is your imagination.
Wonderful prizes await the winning classes.
📅 Registration deadline : Friday October 23th 2026
📅 Competition submission Deadline: Friday November 13th 2026
Why Jump In?
- Join a growing movement of children across Belgium standing up for magnificent oceans.
- Discover the breathtaking wonders beneath the waves and be inspired to protect them.
- Build real skills along the way: communication, creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking..
- Share your ideas with a professional jury who can't wait to see what you create.
- Win fantastic prizes and unforgettable experiences for your whole class
All class groups in 3rd and 4th year (grade 2) elementary schools across Belgium are eligible to participate in the competition.
Each class group needs an adult sponsor (like your teacher or principal or other helping adult).
Caring for the ocean happens together: Entries must come from entire class groups working as a team. We do not accept individual entries.
One creation per class group.
Teachers with multiple classes can sponsor separate entries for each.
Your Ocean Adventure Begins Here!
Step 1: Get ready
Read through the competition details, guidelines, and eligibility criteria on our website.
Step 2: Get inspired
Watch our inspiring Mission ocean video with your classmates and let the beauty of the ocean spark your imagination.
Step 3: Get creative with your classmates
Share ocean stories and feelings as a class, and find the idea that makes your hearts beat faster. Then bring it to life through any medium you love.
Step 4: Submit and show the world
Capture your creation with clear photos and a short video. Mission Ocean cares about children's privacy — please don't include children's faces or other recognizable features in your images or videos. Add a short description (max 500 words) in Dutch, French, or English, and send everything by email before the deadline, including your adult sponsor's contact details. Keep your original work safe for the celebration ceremony.
Step 5: Spread the wave
Congratulations — you're now part of a movement of young people using their creative voices for the ocean. Tell friends, family, and other schools, and help create a tidal wave of ocean awareness across Belgium.
Ocean treasures await
To reward the creativity and engagement of participating classes, Mission Ocean offers experiences that bring students closer to the wonders of the sea and nature.
✨ Prizes for the 2026 edition will be announced in September 2026. We're securing partnerships with inspiring marine and nature organizations to create unforgettable experiences for the winning classes — stay tuned.
- Winners will be announced end of November 2026.
- Winning classes are contacted individually before the public announcement.
- Our jury brings together artists, teachers, scientists, and ocean lovers.
- Creative ways you connect with the Mission Ocean theme
- Bold imagination, originality, and fresh ideas
- Stories that inspire others to protect our blue planet
- Following the simple guidelines, so everyone has a fair chance
Every entry is carefully considered. All jury decisions are final.
- There's no fee to participate.
- Your creation must be your class's original work — no AI tools, please.
- By joining, you agree to our privacy policy.
- By participating, you agree that Mission Ocean may use your work and images of it for marketing and promotional purposes.
- Prizes should be shared evenly among the class, or made available to the whole class as far as possible.
- Please indicate the number of pupils in your class in your submission. Proof of number and/or age may be requested.
Video presentation for the students :
Stay tuned for more educational material for your class!
We're here to help!
Thank you for diving into the information on our website and for reviewing the FAQ below before emailing us.
Mission Ocean Competition: Frequently Asked Questions
Contest Entry
How do I enter Mission Ocean Competition?
Entering is easy:
- Review the competition guidelines on our website.
- Watch the Mission Ocean video with your class for inspiration.
- Create your class project about ocean conservation using any artistic medium.
- Take clear photos and a short video of your work (without student faces visible).
- Write a short description (max 500 words) explaining your concept.
- Register on our online form, then submit everything by email before the deadline.
- Keep your original work safe for the prize ceremony if you win.
Who is eligible to enter Mission Ocean Competition?
The competition is open to class groups with students in the 3rd and 4th year (grade 2) of elementary school in Belgium. Each class must have an adult sponsor, such as for example a teacher or school principal. All submissions must come from entire class groups working together – individual entries cannot be accepted.
What are the prizes for Mission Ocean Competition?
Prizes for the 2026 edition will be announced in September 2026. We're securing partnerships with inspiring marine and nature organizations to create unforgettable experiences for the winning classes. The prizes are designed to bring students closer to the ocean and the natural world.
When is the Mission Ocean Competition deadline?
All submissions must be received by November 13th 2026 to be considered. The online submission platform will close automatically at the deadline, so please plan accordingly.
Can I mail or email my submission?
No, submissions sent by physical mail cannot be considered for the competition, only the ones sent via e-mail to : HELLO@OCEANPERSPECTIVE.ORG will be accepted, and only after you register on this online form : Register now
Is there a fee to enter Mission Ocean Competition?
Participation in the Mission Ocean Competition is free.
I don't live in Belgium. Can I still enter Mission Ocean Competition?
Unfortunately, this competition is currently only open to schools in Belgium. We hope to expand to other countries in the future.
I am a homeschool student. Am I eligible to enter?
The contest is designed for class groups in traditional school settings. However, if you are part of a homeschool collective or group that matches the age requirements (3rd or 4th year elementary school equivalent) and has an adult sponsor, you may be eligible. Please contact us at HELLO@OCEANPERSPECTIVE.ORG for clarification on your specific situation.
Submission Details
What kind of submissions are eligible for the Mission Ocean Competition?
Eligible submissions include but are not limited to paintings, drawings, collages, sculptures and any other media you can think of.
The most important thing is that your submission relates to ocean conservation and shows your class's creative ideas, inventions on how you would like to make our oceans healthier, or ways you would like to inspire others to do so.
Can I submit more than one entry?
Each class group may submit only one entry to the competition. However, if a sponsor (like a teacher) works with multiple class groups, they may sponsor separate entries for each class. Please clearly indicate this in your submissions to avoid confusion.
What language should my submission be in?
The written description accompanying your submission must be in Dutch, French, or English. The artistic elements of your submission can incorporate any language.
Can I go over the length requirements for the submission written description?
To ensure fairness for all participants and ease of judging, we ask that you keep your written description up to 500 words. Submissions with descriptions outside these parameters may be disadvantaged during judging.
Will I ever need to mail my original work to the contest team?
No, you'll never need to mail your original work. However, please keep your original creation safe, as we may want to showcase it at the awards ceremony if your class is selected as a winner!
Why do I need to write a description?
The description helps our judges understand your creative process, what inspired your class, and the message you want to convey about ocean conservation.
Rules and Policies
What is your policy on plagiarism?
All submissions must be the original work of the students in the class group. While it's fine to use existing sources for research and inspiration, directly copying someone else's work is not permitted. Submissions created by parents or other adults are also not permitted. The Mission Ocean team
What is your policy on AI?
The use of AI-generation tools (like image generators, text generators, etc.) is not permitted for creating any part of your submission. We want to see YOUR class's creativity, not a computer's!
Who can be my adult sponsor?
Your adult sponsor should be someone directly connected with your class, such as:
- A classroom teacher
- A school principal
- Another school staff member or adult who works with your class
- The sponsor will serve as the primary contact person between your class and the Mission Ocean team.
I've been asked to be a sponsor. What are the responsibilities?
As a sponsor, you will:
- Help guide students through the creative process
- Ensure the submission meets all contest requirements
- Submit the entry through our online portal
- Provide your contact information as the primary point of contact
- Communicate with the Waves of Change team if your class wins
- Help coordinate prize distribution if your class is selected as a winner
Judging and Awards
Who are the Mission Ocean Competition judges?
Our diverse panel of judges includes artists, teachers, scientists, designers, and ocean conservation enthusiasts. Visit the "Meet the Judges" section on the contest page to learn more about these passionate individuals!
How is Mission Ocean Competition judged?
Entries are evaluated based on:
- Relevance and innovation related to the ocean conservation theme
- Creativity, originality, artistic expression, and imagination
- Effective communication of an ocean conservation narrative
- Adherence to eligibility requirements and submission guidelines
Each submission is carefully reviewed and judged on its qualitative merits. All judging decisions are final.
When will the winners be announced?
Winners of the 2026 Mission Ocean Competition will be announced in the end November 2026. Winning classes will be notified via email before the public announcement.
How will I receive my award?
Details about prize distribution will be communicated directly to winning classes through their adult sponsor.
What should I expect as a winner after the awards are announced?
Winning classes can expect:
- Recognition on the Mission Ocean website
- Potential media coverage of your class's achievement
- The opportunity to inspire others with your creative ocean conservation message
- Your class project may be featured in promotional materials for future contests
If you have any questions not covered in this FAQ, please email us at HELLO@OCEANPERSPECTIVE.ORG after reviewing all the information on our website.
We are excited to see your class's creative ocean conservation projects!