Staples Urban Environment Challenge, Call for Entries

Sustainable Seattle is coordinating the Seattle regional chapter of the Staples Urban Environment Challenge. The challenge is a competition open to organizations that serve 5th through 9th graders in an environmental educational type of capacity. The following is the website that contains the requirements and rules. For further information contact nathan(at)sustainableseattle.org.

Staples Urban Environment Challenge

Earth Force and Staples Foundation for Learning share a mutual commitment to the environment, education and youth. Both help to inspire a national movement of young people who will become the leaders of their communities and to secure a healthy environmental future.

Our Project – THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT CHALLENGE

Together, Earth Force and Staples will develop the next generation of environmental problem-solvers by engaging urban youth in addressing issues related to climate change. THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT CHALLENGE encourages young people in urban communities to take action on pressing local issues created by global climate change. Entries to the UEC from each region have a chance to win a $1,000 custom technology & supplies package or one of two $500 packages..

Do I qualify?

Criteria for participation in the Staples Urban Environment Challenge:

• Groups of 10 or more young people engaged in youth-led projects, such as service learning, in one of the ten metro areas listed below
• Groups of 5th - 9th grade students from schools where 60% or more of students qualify for free/reduced lunch
• Commitment to completing an action project that addresses issues related to climate change

Already doing service learning on your own or with another partner organization? You're invited to participate! Click on the registration button to let us know you're in!

How It Works

Young people doing service learning in groups of 10 to 30 are invited to address a environmental concern related to global climate change that impacts their urban community and submit their project to the UEC by Earth Day - April 22, 2011. They will work with local businesses, government agencies and climate change experts to develop the understanding they need in order to address the root cause. Through their research contestants will develop a solution to the problem and implement an action plan to improve their community.

Young people will use their project results to develop a written and web based entry into THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT CHALLENGE. Entries will be posted on the internet and Staples employees and other partners will be invited to review the entries and vote for those projects they believe should win each of five regional competitions. One winner in each region will receive a $1,000 technology & supplies package. Two runners up in each region will receive $500 packages.