Protecting the Sea Through Art: Students Transform Trash into Creative Exhibits 

REPORTER:   

Sin-Bao Elementary School sits just about two kilometers from the open waters of the Taiwan Strait. It’s in a rural area of Changhua County with a strong sense of community. And with the community, it’s teaching students to care for the sea by using their own creativity. 

REPORTER:   

The sea here is often littered with trash. But teachers and students dutifully head to the shore to clean up what they can. Then, the students transform what had been garbage into art as part of a special program the school is fostering. 

Huang Cheng-wei (ART TEACHER):   

What other people may see as trash, we take back and turn into creations with the students. It slowly lets them develop feelings toward the people and things around them. 

REPORTER:   

And the resulting works don’t just sit around in the school. For the past three years, they’ve gone on public display at a local bookstore as part of a show, with professional artists contributing their own works, too. 

Lu Wen-chun (BOOKSTORE OWNER):   

They may just seem like small arts and crafts projects but the artists give them a different perspective. We get the kids to start understanding the fabric of our own history and culture through the display of artwork. 

REPORTER:   

The display theme is “Protector Gods of the Sea,” something one artist involved says can have a range of interpretations, but with an important message. 

Liang Jen-chuan (ARTIST):   

What is a protector god of the sea? Some people say they’re like [the sea goddess] Mazu or Poseidon. But actually, I think the real protectors of the seas are each and every one of us. Protecting the sea is a responsibility we must fulfill. 

REPORTER:   

The school believes that with just a little creativity, students can take an early lead in protecting the ecological health of the place they call home. 

Scott Huang and John Van Trieste for TaiwanPlus.