Three Tillicum Middle School eighth-grade Girl Scouts are approaching the issue of endangered wild animals in a new way.

As part of their Silver Award, the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn, the girls were tasked to find a way to change their community — and by extension, the world — for the better.

To achieve the award, Girl Scouts must complete a minimum of 50 hours of work. The three Tillicum students, Lola Rosenwald, Gwen Cable and Emma Rose Mulholland Salazar, decided to put their efforts toward helping animals.

“We all really like animals, and it just seemed like helping animals would be a natural thing to do,” Rosenwald said.

Instead of only making posters or running a fundraiser, the students are hosting their own art contest. Their contest, Saving Endangered Animals’ Lives (S.E.A.L.), allows participants to submit an original drawing of an endangered animal. In addition to the drawing, the participant must also include at least three facts about the animal.

The winner will have their drawing and facts put on a t-shirt or sweatshirt. The winning design will also be available for purchase for others to wear and, ultimately, spread awareness about the endangered animal. All proceeds from t-shirt and sweatshirt sales will be donated to local charities helping preserve endangered animals.

The idea first came to the girls after remembering an art contest they did in elementary school to select a new mascot.

“It just seemed like a good way to get people involved,” Cable said.

The project has been in the works for longer than a year. The girls experienced a few hiccups in the planning process. For one, they wanted to create a club at their school for their cause but were unable to due to school rules and restrictions.

The online art contest was launched April 1 in honor of Earth month. Since the contest was launched, the girls have received submissions from everywhere — India to Virginia.

“We had no idea people from across the globe would hear about this,” Salazar said. “But it’s so cool that they did. Knowing people are interested in helping animals is rewarding.”

“It’s been really great to see this all come together,” Cable said. “It’s also been fun to work together and do something important.”

The students hope to make the S.E.A.L. contest an annual contest, to continue spreading awareness of endangered animals. For Viccy Salazar, Emma’s mother, she said it’s been great to see the girls grow and doing something to help the world.

“We’re seeing the next generation working to protect the world,” she said.

The art contest closes April 30. To learn more about S.E.A.L., visit their website https://saveendangeredanimalslives.com/

Madison Miller / staff photo Tillicum Middle School eighth-grade Girl Scouts are working to save endangered animals through an art contest. From left: Lola Rosenwald, Gwen Cable and Emma Rose Mulholland Salazar.