ECO-HERO AWARD WINNERS
Amaira Kapoor
2026: 1st PLACE
Amaira Kapoor, a 16-year-old innovator, founded "Project Vaayu" to build low-cost evaporative cooling units from upcycled terracotta cups, lowering classroom temperatures in under-resourced schools by up to 10°C during extreme heatwaves.
Stella Hong
2026: HONORABLE MENTION
Stella Hong, a 16-year-old researcher from Virginia, founded "HydroHarvest" to engineer upcycled, zero-electricity hydroponic grow kits, providing food-insecure urban families with low-maintenance, sustainable access to fresh produce.
Vaishika Satheshwaran
2026: FINALISTS
Vaishika Satheswaran, a 12-year-old activist from Abu Dhabi, founded "Tiny Hands" to divert textile waste from landfills by upcycling discarded fabric scraps and retired school uniforms into practical, eco-friendly accessories.
Availa Johnson
2025: 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.
Priyanshi Poddar
2025: 1st PLACE
Priyanshi Poddar, 16, from Biratnagar, Nepal, is transforming rubber waste into comfort and dignity for underserved communities. Through her Saathi initiative, she upcycles discarded rubber into mats and clogs, benefiting over 4,000 individuals and preventing significant CO₂ emissions.
Dylan Turzak
2025: 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.