On Jan. 10, The Captain Planet Foundation honored students from Galena Park ISD’s Williamson Elementary School for their impactful environmental work and water conservation idea as part of the 2024 Green Heart STEM Challenge for Environmental Justice. 

The Houston area’s first challenge was made possible due to the Education Foundation of Harris County’s partnership with the Captain Planet Foundation and Harris County Department of Education’s Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment (CASE) for Kids. The Green Heart STEM Challenge supports young people in exploring and identifying environmental injustice  in their communities and designing actionable solutions to address those issues. This year’s theme was focused on water, a precious and limited resource for some communities around the world. 

Students Da’Miyah Mitchell, Inderyi Quiroz, Iris Gainous, Josue Munoz and Kelis Gladney, who comprised Williamson’s H20 Warriors, identified a need for cleaner drinking water in their school’s fountains during the April competition. They were among seven teams across Harris County that created and submitted innovative projects, which included producing a video proposal.

The Warriors were honored as challenge finalists but their presentation resonated with the judges.

“These young people moved the judges in such a way that they said ‘We want to do more for them,’” said LaToya Henry, the foundation’s chief operating officer.

The judges donated a filtered water refill station to Williamson Elementary School.

Captain Planet Foundation leadership visited the campus Jan. 10 to recognize the team’s achievement and showcase the station, which is in the cafeteria. They also unveiled a commemorative plaque during the ceremony to honor the H20 Warriors and the importance of student-led initiatives in shaping a sustainable future.

“I’m excited for the young students to know that it’s because of their peers that they have fresh clean water,” Henry said. “It was good to see the smiles on their faces and the pride they have from this experience and know that they can do anything they set their minds to. They can come up with solutions and they have a valuable voice.”