Three teams of students from across Harris County came together on April 26 to develop solutions for some of the biggest challenges posed by climate change and environmental injustice. The Education Foundation of Harris County (EFHC), in partnership with the Captain Planet Foundation and Harris County Department of Education’s Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment (CASE) for Kids, marks its second Green Heart STEM Challenge for youth in the Houston area.
The Green Heart STEM Challenge supports young people in exploring and identifying environmental injustice issues in their communities and designing actionable solutions to address those issues. This year’s theme was focused on WIND, asking students to create solutions to single-use plastics, fast fashion and e-waste.
The Challenge began in January, when students were asked to submit a pitch video and written proposal for their ideas. The top three middle school finalists were invited to compete in a formal “pitch” to a judging panel of experts during the event. The Ross Sterling Middle School “Pollution Police” stepped up and took the top spot in the competition with their idea to upcycle old shoes. Siblings Kaylee and Nathan Kibble developed the idea for a shoe upcycling and creation station, where students can bring their old shoes for cleaning, redecorating and patching to create less waste.
As the winning team, the Kibble siblings will receive a small implementation grant to put their idea into action. They will also attend a summer intensive called the Green Heart Idea Incubator to work with mentors on implementing their solutions.