Sustainability Awards
Students can make a big impact on the world, and people are taking notice. From private enterprises, to non-profits, and federal agencies, there are numerous awards available to recognize students who are making a difference. The award programs take many forms including essay contests, poster art, and homemade videos, and cover various facets of sustainability.
The awards listed below are examples of just a few of the many available:
Action for Nature International Young Eco-hero Awards
Who is eligible? Students around the world between the ages of 8 and 16.
Focus: Any kind of creative environmental project (research projects, teaching, preservation projects, etc).
http://www.actionfornature.org/eco-hero/index.html
Brower Youth Awards
Offered by Earth Island Institute
Who is eligible? Students, ages 13 to 22.
Focus: Achievements in environmental and social justice advocacy.
http://broweryouthawards.org/article.php?id=113
EnVision 2050: Is the Future Nature?
Offered by The National Outdoor Leadership Network (NOLS)
Who is eligible? Students in grades 6 through 12.
Focus: Art posters that demonstrate the future of tomorrow’s cities, while considering global warming and carbon emissions.
http://www.urbanrevision.com/envision2050/eco_competitions.php
Garden Crusader Awards
Who is eligible?
Any individual improving the world through gardening.
Focus: Planting trees and flowers, growing food, creating new green spaces, and teaching their friends and neighbors about the rewards of gardening.
http://www.gardeners.com/Garden-Crusader-Awards/5549,default,pg.html
Global Action Awards
Offered by NetAid, an initiative of Mercy Corps
Who is eligible? High school students in the United States.
Focus: Students must have organized and led a project that has impacted people in poor countries, or raised awareness about global poverty in their own communities.
http://www.globalactionawards.org/
Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
Who is eligible? US or Canadian students between the ages 8 and 18 nominated by adults.
Focus: Half of the winners have focused on helping their communities and fellow beings; half have focused on protecting the health and sustainability of the environment.
http://www.barronprize.org/
Goldman Sachs Foundation Prizes for Excellence in International Education
Who is eligible? High school students.
Focus: Students who demonstrate an in-depth understanding of key issues in international affairs and the global economy through essay and multimedia options.
http://www.askasia.org/students/gsfprizes.html
Lorax Challenge
Offered by Dr. Seuss Enterprises and Youth Venture in partnership with Earth Island Institute.
Who is eligible? Groups of 2 or more students, age 12-20.
Focus: Proposal including framework and plan for a new sustainable community service or a social entrepreneurship project which benefits the environment.
http://genv.net/en-us/lorax
President’s Environmental Youth Awards (PEYA)
Offered by the Environmental Protection Agency
Who is eligible? Kindergarten through 12th grade students sponsored by an adult.
Focus: Encourages individuals, school classes, summer camps, public interest groups and youth organizations to promote environmental awareness and positive community involvement.
http://www.epa.gov/enviroed/peya/index.html
Quantum Shift TV
Who is eligible? Student teams.
Focus: Choose and execute a social environmental project of your choice and document the progress in a couple of short videos.
http://www.quantumshift.tv/schools/
SeaWorld/Busch Gardens Environmental Excellence Awards
Who is eligible? Groups from K-12 schools, (not individual students).
Focus: Projects that protect and preserve the environment.
http://www.swbg-animals.org/conservation-matters/eea/
Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge
Offered by Siemens, Discovery Education, and NSTA
Who is eligible? Teams of students in grades 6-8.
Focus: Identify an environmental problem in their community and research and recommend a reproducible environmental improvement program. Teams then provide an explanation about how other communities across the country can launch similar environmental improvement programs.
http://www.wecanchangetheworldchallenge.com/
For more award listings see:
North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)