Are you passionate about the environment and the future?  

We want to hear your ideas!

Innovation is about big ideas, creativity, and problem-solving. Think about an environmental issue in your community or the world that concerns you. 

This year's K12 Innovation Challenge themes are: 

Carbon Emissions

How can we help reduce the amount of carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere?

Helping People

How can we help people at severe risk of climate-related emergencies?

Our Ocean

What can we do to protect our ocean?

Healthy Lands

How can we help restore and improve land management and conserve for the future?

Freshwater

What can we do to help improve the quality of freshwater ecosystems and conserve it for future communities? 

Local Leader

How can we support local communities to learn and support each other in stewarding their environment and shaping their future?

K12 and The Nature Conservancy are encouraging students in grades 9–12 to solve some of our planet’s most pressing environmental issues in this year’s Innovation Challenge. Students can work individually or in teams of up to three to design and submit a proposal about their ideas for solutions in one of the six theme areas. 

The national winner will receive a $5,000 academic college scholarship.

In partnership with The Nature Conservancy, we determined our challenge themes based on top areas of concern when it comes to addressing the issues we see our planet facing. These same themes relate to the 2030 goals set by The Nature Conservancy. Click here to learn more about how The Nature Conservancy is focusing on environmental challenges.

Have questions?

Email competitions@stridelearning.com  

Students enrolled at K12-powered schools as well as students at any other school in the U.S. can submit their proposal to be considered.

Students can submit a proposal individually, as a pair, or as a team of three.

Proposals can be submitted in Word or PPT format. Google word processor and presentation creator are also acceptable. Proposal must be created solely by the Entrant Team.

For reference, participants can view the finalist presentations from last year.

Entries submitted after the deadline will not be eligible to win.

All proposals will be judged according to the following judging criteria:

            a)     Did the Entrant Team create a new, innovative idea to help solve for the chosen theme issue (25%)

            b)     How realistic would implementation be? What would the financial impact be, and are there clear next                   steps for the idea? (25%)

            c)      How original and creative is the idea for solving the theme issue (25%)

            d)     Is the idea something that could be implemented anywhere? Would it successfully impact others? (25%)

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There will be three rounds of judging.

          ·      Round 1: Judges will review proposals and select the top 10 in each theme to advance to Round 2 (60 semi-finalist                                proposals).

·      Round 2, the Semi-Finals: Judges will review the top proposals and select 2 per theme to advance to Round 3 (12 proposals).

·      Round 3, the National Competition: Semi-finalists will compete in person, where 1 team will be declared the K12 Innovation Challenge winner by a panel of judges, and 1 team will be declared the People's Choice Innovation Challenge winner based on public voting.

Semi-finalists will receive a trip to present their proposals in Washington, D.C.

The national winning team will receive a $5,000 scholarship for each team member.

The people's choice winning team based on the public vote will receive a Microsoft Surface tablet for each team member.

Semi-Finalists will be announced the week of May 15, 2023.

View official competition rules and the full terms and conditions.