Call for Nominations: International Young Eco-Hero Awards

AFN encourages young people around the world to carry out individual environmental action projects. They believe that young people can have a positive impact on the environment and are vital in changing the way they live on the planet.

Eligible Projects

• The project must focus on environmental health, advocacy, research, or the protection of the natural world.
• It should be action-based, self-initiated, and not an assignment from a teacher or other adult.
• Projects must be at least 6 months in duration and either close to completion or completed within the last year.
• For invention-based projects, applicants should have conducted trials prior to applying.

Award Information

• Winners will receive:
  • Cash prize up to $1,000
  • Public recognition and media press release
  • Certificate of achievement for outstanding efforts to help protect and preserve the environment
  • Exclusive access to the eco-hero alumni Facebook group

Ineligible Projects

• Projects related to domestic or confined animals.
• Compositions, reports, or purely academic submissions.

Eligibility Criteria

• Applicants must be between 8 and 16 years old.
• Projects submitted as part of a Science Fair or Scouting Badge will only be considered if they include additional environmental action, educational outreach, or extended studies beyond the original scope.
• Previous winners, immediate relatives of AFN board members, and active reading panel members or judges are not eligible to apply.
• Applications must be submitted in English.

Selection Criteria

• The applications will be judged according to several criteria, including but not limited to:
  • originality
  • difficulty
  • organization
  • length of time devoted to the project
  • influencing/educating others
  • use of outside resources (e.g. library, experts, media, community leaders)
  • degree of success in reaching goals
  • the impact on the environment

Application Requirements

• Applications should be completed thoughtfully, with attention to detail. Take your time to provide clear, well-written responses, as this will help them understand your impact.
• Science Projects: Please include your hypothesis and results, and explain them in layman’s terms. Consider how your work can inspire or inform a broad audience, including policymakers or the general public. Think of your abstract as an opportunity to engage and excite what is the overall impact of your project?
• They strongly encourage applications from young people directly working with nature, such as restoring habitats, protecting wildlife, or mitigating environmental threats.

For more information, visit AFN.