Sometimes all it takes is artistic drive, a beneficial collaboration, and one charismatic critter to take home gold.

A University of Washington team won first place in a science communication video contest that culminated during the recent Ocean Sciences Meeting. The entries were critiqued and evaluated beforehand by more than 37,000 middle-school student judges hailing from 1,600 classrooms in 17 different countries. The students chose the winning videos based on their educational value and creativity.

For the UW team — Adam Summers, a professor of biology and of aquatic and fishery sciences based at Friday Harbor Laboratories, Ian Stevens, a 2015 English graduate, and Zack Bivins, a current English major — the win celebrates both a standout video, and an unlikely collaboration.