What are kids into these days? Some, ages 8 to 18, are trying to raise awareness and funds for environmental issues like sustainability, endangered species, climate change and pollution. Did you think the answer was their phones?
The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes is an annual award the celebrates “inspiring, public-spirited young people” from across the United States and Canada, organizers say.
The winners for 2019 have been announced, and include green heroes like:
Addison Barrett, 11, of Maryland, who founded Gorilla Heroes to raise awareness and funds to protect endangered mountain gorillas. Barrett has helped raise more than $7,000 for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund and The Ellen Fund by selling homemade cookies and lemonade and hosting her annual Gorilla Gala.
2019 Barron prize winner Addison, 11, of Maryland
Anna Du, 13, of Massachusetts, who invented a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) that detects microplastics on the ocean floor. Du also wrote a children's book, “Microplastics and Me,” and has raised more than $7,000 for children and libraries in high-need communities.
Charlie Abrams, 15, and Jeremy Clark, 14, of Oregon, who co-founded Affected Generation, a youth-led nonprofit working to fight climate change and help implement effective climate policy, including Oregon's Clean Energy Jobs bill.
Jeremy, left, and Charlie, right, of Oregon
And that’s just three of the 25. Others include young people who are helping seniors, children, the hungry and the homeless in and outside their communities.
Inspired yet?
Another winner, Emma Angeletti, 17, of Florida, co-founded back2earth, a nonprofit that reduces the amount of food waste in landfills by providing a free, weekly household composting service to more than 100 families in Miami.
Jamie Margolin, 17, of Washington, is being honored for founding Zero Hour, a nonprofit international youth climate justice movement. Margolin’s 2018 Youth Climate March brought hundreds of youth to Washington, D.C., and inspired 25 sister marches around the world, the Barron organization says.
Jamie, 17, of Washington
There’s also Joseph Goldstein, 18, of Illinois, who founded Kids for the Boundary Waters “to raise a generation of young Wilderness Warriors who are educated about and involved in the fight to defend the pristine waters, forest and wildlife of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness against sulfide-ore copper mines proposed within its watershed.”
Two other 2019 winners sound like leaders of budding startups.
Maanasa Mendu, 16, of Ohio, invented HARVEST, an inexpensive and globally applicable renewable energy device. It is made primarily of recycled materials costing less than $5 and can power a 15-watt LED bulb.
Neil Deshmukh, 16, of Pennsylvania, created an app called PlantumAI to help farmers in developing countries easily identify and treat crop disease, allowing them to maximize yields and reduce their need for toxic pesticides.
Neil, 16, of Pennsylvania
You can see the full list on the Barron website, along with photos and social media profiles.
Maybe they do use their phones a bit after all. But the results sound pretty positive. Hooray for Generation Z.
Fifteen top winners will each receive $10,000 to support their service work or higher education.
“These outstanding young people renew our hope for the world,” T. A. Barron said in a statement. “By honoring these kids who are making a positive difference, we hope to inspire many others.”
Barron, an author, established the prize in 2001 and named it after his mother. He writes about fictional young heroes in his novels, but champions inspiring young people in real life, according to a bio.
As award organizers get ready to celebrate 20 years of the Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes in 2020, they’ve put up an Inspiring Young Heroes video portal. If you need some hope that there are still good people in this world, check it out.
You also may think about nominating someone you know. Applications for 2020 open up on Jan. 6, with a deadline for entries of April 15. Pass it on.
