Thousands of young innovators from 87 countries submitted to
the second annual environmental youth challenge, presented by the
National Geographic Society and the Paul G. Allen Family
Foundation
Learn more about each award recipient by downloading their
submission videos, photos and bios here.
WASHINGTON, May 8, 2024
/PRNewswire/ -- An app to minimize household food waste, a
tree-planting robot, and programs to save a rare bird and the bees
— these are just some of the solutions from the second year of the
Slingshot Challenge, a global call for youth ages 13-18 to propose
solutions to the planet's environmental problems. Announced today
by the National Geographic Society and the Paul G. Allen Family
Foundation, five Top Honors submissions will receive $10,000 each and ten Significant Achievement
submissions will receive $1,000 each
to advance their projects and continue to explore big ideas.
"We're thrilled to support these bold, young leaders as they aim
to have a positive impact on the environment," said Dr.
Deborah Grayson, chief education
officer at the National Geographic Society. "As environmental
champions, they teach us how to be positive changemakers by
bringing fresh perspectives to our communities and creating lasting
change for our planet."
The 2024 Slingshot Challenge received 2,134 one-minute video
submissions from 87 countries. Between innovative uses of AI
(artificial intelligence) and technology to detect and solve
environmental problems to pitching community-driven awareness
campaigns, the submissions proved that the explorer mindset is
alive and well in this next generation of changemakers. Five Top
Honors Award Recipients, noted below, stood out for their notably
inquisitive drive to seek knowledge and think critically. These
submissions join Slingshot Challenge award recipient alumni in
receiving support and funding.
- Mazah: Food Waste Fighting App, Noga Gercsak,
Gabrielle Gervacio, Shradha Bista, Riya Zingade, Ishika Meel, Prithika Venkatesh; Switzerland, U.S., Hong Kong: Developed an app that tracks food
expiration dates & offers recipes to prevent household food
waste.
- TERRABOX, Chidiebere
Anigbogu, Nigeria: Created
a STEM kit that empowers children to explore clean and renewable
energy through play and creativity.
- Semilla de Esperanza (Seed
of Hope), Ulises Yael Texta
Ponce, Wiliam Artemio Texta
Ponce, Diana Paola Ponce
Nava, Perla Karina Ponce Gómez, Sasha Enriquez; Mexico: Protects the endangered green macaw
through monitoring, reforestation, and community education.
- Trovador, Marta
Bernardino, Portugal:
Deploys a tree-planting robot to help reforest land devastated by
wildfires in the mountains of Portugal.
- Urban Pollinators, Evelyn Pinot, Mexico: Built the first registry of native
pollinator plants in Tapachula and
created a thriving haven for urban pollinators.
All awardees are invited to participate in National Geographic
Society's annual Explorers Festival in June, at which two
additional awards will be announced: the Explorer Connection Award,
given to the submission that draws the best connection to the work
of a National Geographic Explorer, and the People's Choice Award,
given to the submission that receives the most votes from the
general public. Voting for the People's Choice Award is open until
May 31, 2024 and can be accessed
here.
"A better future starts with empowering the next generation,"
said Lara Littlefield, executive
director of partnerships and programs at the Paul G. Allen Family
Foundation. "The Slingshot Challenge represents our belief that
youth are the key to unlocking new opportunities in conservation.
We are confident that a global community of changemakers can stare
down and conquer the environmental challenges that define our
times."
Spanning nine countries and four continents, the Significant
Achievement Award Recipients demonstrated a desire to make a
positive impact — evidenced by their proposals to educate community
members through virtual reality experiences, share soundscapes of
wetland areas, monitor ocean health, restore vulnerable ecosystems,
uplift young researchers and develop eco-friendly products. The
awardees took a close look at their communities, identified
problems and designed innovative solutions — showing how to
implement what they learned along the way into tangible actions for
protecting our planet and its people.
Around the world, Slingshot Challenge alumni and community
members are inspiring people to learn about, care for and act on
behalf of the planet. Since its inauguration in 2023, funding has
helped recipients develop prototypes, raise awareness for
environmental issues, launch initiatives and connect others
globally with a common goal: to make the world a better place.
Additionally, and in the spirit of supporting as many
outstanding ideas as possible, the National Geographic Society and
Paul G. Allen Family Foundation are teaming up for a third year of
the challenge — kicking off in the fall of 2024. Interested teens
and educators can sign up now to receive updates here.
About the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation
Founded in
1988 by philanthropists Jody Allen
and the late Paul G. Allen,
co-founder of Microsoft, the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation
invests in communities across the Pacific Northwest to enhance the
human experience of arts & culture, center under-served
populations, and mobilize young people to make an impact. In
addition, the foundation supports a global portfolio of nonprofit
partners working across science and technology solutions to protect
wildlife, preserve ocean health, and create lasting change. The
foundation also funds the Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group, which
works to advance cutting-edge research in all areas of
bioscience.
About National Geographic Society
The National
Geographic Society is a global nonprofit organization that uses the
power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to
illuminate and protect the wonder of our world. Since 1888,
National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration,
investing in bold people and transformative ideas, providing more
than 15,000 grants for work across all seven continents, reaching 3
million students each year through education offerings, and
engaging audiences around the globe through signature experiences,
stories and content. To learn more, visit
www.nationalgeographic.org or follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn, and
Facebook.
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SOURCE National Geographic Society