WINNERS ANNOUNCED
During Fall 2024, high schools across California participated in the People and Planet Challenge, inspiring change in their communities by creating sustainability campaigns. The winning campaigns focused on improving local air and water quality, as well as engaging their school communities in sustainability education, and earned well-deserved prizes. Congratulations!
Congratulations to our Fall 2024
People and Planet Challenge Winners!🌍🏆
Campaign Winner: Mills High School
Top Campaign (Bay Area)
Mills High’s Innovations in Green Technology class, led by teacher Anthony DiLemme, carried out a variety of campaigns to educate about air pollution, impacts of climate change, air quality, and water conservation. The creativity, engagement, and impact of these student-run campaigns secured Mills the grand prize of this year’s People and Planet Challenge!
One group of Mills students – Lin and Jayce – set out to raise awareness about the environmental impacts of air pollution. To educate their community, Lin and Jayce created informational posters about causes of air pollution and steps people can take to be green citizens. They also created a podcast, Instagram, and website to share their message!
One group of Mills students – Lin and Jayce – set out to raise awareness about the environmental impacts of air pollution. To educate their community, Lin and Jayce created informational posters about causes of air pollution and steps people can take to be green citizens. They also created a podcast, Instagram, and website to share their message!
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Another group of Mills’ students — Samuel and Andrew — led a campaign to educate their community about climate change, local impacts, and actions we can take to reduce our environmental impacts. The pair created a poster, an informational video slideshow and a quiz for people to test their climate knowledge!
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Another campaign (right), completed by Kaylee, had students spin a wheel for a fact about air pollution. Students could then read the fact out loud for a free snack! Kaylee also created an informational poster about air quality. By scanning a QR code, students were brought to the CalEnviroScreen tool, where they could explore more about air quality in their area!
Additionally, another Mills student — Adam — designed three posters (below) and a website teaching about water conservation, consequences when water is not conserved, and benefits of and strategies to conserving water. |
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Congratulations to all students in the Green Technology class for their incredible sustainability campaigns!
Proposal Winner: Burlingame High School
(Bay Area)
Burlingame High School’s Service Commission class, led by teacher Bethany Li, proposed a campaign to carry out in the spring, with the “goal to help improve the air quality in our community.” The students aim to do this by encouraging students and teachers to walk, bike, carpool, or take public transportation to school through a “Clean Commute” spirit day. Students plan to share through their school TV program, social media, word of mouth, posters, and by providing prizes!
Proposal Winner: East Bay Innovation Academy
(Bay Area)
East Bay Innovation Academy, led by teacher Ari Statler, also submitted notable campaign proposals to carry out in the spring semester. Students plan on creating an Environmental Club that will implement several projects including a waste education and reduction project, as well as a tree planting project. Students plan to get the word out about the club and its projects through social media posts, posters, and petitions.
Looking Back
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Students tackled challenges and spearheaded campaigns.
After learning about sustainability through research and digital tools, students planned a campaign to improve sustainability in their own communities. They transformed knowledge into action, emerging as sustainability leaders who implemented real change and inspired others to join their environmental causes! |
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Students became sustainability specialists and won prizes.
Everyone who completed the challenge received our Sustainability Specialist Certificate. Students who best demonstrated their sustainability knowledge and launched a successful campaign won prizes to help them continue their sustainability efforts. |
This challenge was funded by a grant from the Bay Area Air Quality Management District and Edison International®.
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