ECO-HERO AWARD WINNERS
Nicolina Pappas
2nd PLACE
Nicolina Pappas, a 13-year-old from the United States, combats single-use plastic pollution through Nicolina's Turtle Co. She has raised over $15,000 for conservation, educated thousands, and successfully advocated for her "Skip the Plastic Campaign," leading to city-wide proclamations and state resolutions like "Skip the Plastic Day."
Availa Johnson
HONORABLE MENTION
Eco-Hero Availa Johnson, age 8 from Florida, is transforming plastic waste into fashion and promoting creative reuse. Through her EcoCreators Design Club, she inspires students to upcycle materials, educating thousands and saving plastic from oceans.
Nethanya Fonseka
2nd PLACE
Nethanya Fonseka, 16, from Michigan, leads Plant It Forward, a powerful initiative combating climate change through tree planting. She cultivates climate resilience and environmental justice, securing funding for a microforest and honoring Indigenous heritage through native gardens.
Eesha Ande
3rd PLACE
Eesha Ande, 16, from San Antonio, Texas, combats period poverty and plastic waste through her impactful sustainable menstrual hygiene initiative, empowering menstruators with reusable products and vital education.
Aziza Kennedy
HONORABLE MENTION
Aziza Kennedy, 16, from Alexandria, Virginia, transformed her school's waste management by establishing the "SJC Compost Initiative." Through unwavering persistence, she successfully implemented composting to combat food waste and reduce emissions.
Lucile Morehouse
HONORABLE MENTION
Lucile Morehouse, 14, from Oklahoma, leads "Lucile's Pollinator Project," distributing thousands of native seed packets globally. She's sowing seeds of change, raising awareness, and fostering vital habitats to combat pollinator decline.
Brandon Lin
FINALIST
Brandon Lin, 15, from Hillsborough, CA, is the founder of The ReCap Project, which recycles clean medical plastic waste from Bay Area health systems into usable items like clipboards, creating a sustainable circular economy.
Katia Thomas
FINALIST
Katia Thomas, 16, from Beverly Hills, CA, is a dedicated advocate for environmental justice. She is a featured protagonist in the documentary Green SuperHeroes 2030 and has fundraised for the Indigenous Cofan community of the Amazon, while also inventing a device that generates electricity from garbage.
Benjamin Oroszlan
FINALIST
Benjamin Oroszlan, 16, from Calabasas, California, is the founder of the P-22 Youth Wildlife Awareness Initiative. He educates thousands of elementary school students on the importance of wildlife coexistence, inspired by the new Wallis Annenberg Wildlife Crossing.
Dylan Turzak
FINALIST
Dylan Turzak, 16, from Scotts Valley, California, is the founder of We Are Planet Protectors, an educational platform that inspires elementary school children through published books, free curricula, and engaging in-person activities to become lifelong environmental stewards.
Luke DeMott
FINALIST
Luke DeMott, 16, from La Jolla, California, is the founder of Sustainable Housing San Diego. His non-profit educates communities about cost-effective sustainable housing and composting practices, actively working to combat environmental injustice.