$30K In Grants For Teens To Hack Their Schools Green

The Guerrilla Green Sustainable Showdown, part funded by school rock bands challenges teens to turn innovative ideas into impactful solutions.

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 22, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Guerrilla Green is a growing movement of frustrated young people tired of waiting for sustainable transformation in the built environment. The place they spend most of their time, the school campus, is usually built with little care to future generations and in some cases contain toxins that increase the risk of cancer in students and teachers. As more schools push for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) very few give an outlet for practical and tangible results. We're changing that. This inaugural sustainable showdown invites teams of middle and high school students across the U.S. to bring innovative solutions to their school buildings, outdoor spaces and activities.

Using a 'bracket style' competition the top eight teams will compete to win their region before battling for the grand prize of ten grand. We are not just highlighting and honoring ideas, we're investing in them with over $30,000. This money empowers the students with direct action, not only to imagine but to implement. Surprise jury members will be announced every day starting Oct. 24^th. The group includes a 19 year old filmmaker, a 21 year old eco-pioneer, an emerging TV and film actor and many more.

Cameron Sinclair, 'Chief Eternal Optimist' of Architecture for Humanity and former TED Prize winner, argues that "the only difference between a good idea and a great one is implementation. I came up with Architecture for Humanity when I was a kid, and it took over a decade before I found the support to launch it. We can't wait while the innovative ideas sit on the shelf, so we are helping to fund the Guerrilla Green Sustainable Showdown and in turn invest in what matters, the environmental leaders of tomorrow."

Additional funding has been provided by Youth Rock The Rebuild, a group of school rock bands who have raised funds for rebuilding in Haiti and Japan as well as local initiatives. Support has also been garnered from the Bezos Family Foundation, The Department of Small Works and Teens Turning Green.

Are you a teenager? Do you know a teenager? Have you seen a teenager? Register and submit the next great green solution for a chance to collect up to $13,000, submit it at bit.ly/hackitgreen then talk it up on our Facebook page and Twitter @guerrillagreen. Snap it up on Pintrest and Instagram. Each venue gives your team more exposure and more money (mini challenges to come). So Green into it!  

Sustainable Showdown

Round One: Ideas
Oct. 22 – Dec. 3 2012
Eight $1,000 winners
Two $1,000 Wildcards
Announced on Dec. 10, 2012

Round Two: Implement
Dec. 10, 2012– Feb.1, 2013
Four $2,000 winners
Announced on Feb. 8, 2013

Round Three: Plan to Scale
Feb. 11, 2013 – Mar. 6, 2013
One $10,000 winner
Announced on Mar. 18, 2013

Website: bit.ly/hackitgreen
Twitter: @guerrillagreen
Facebook: facebook.com/GuerrillaGreen 

About Architecture for Humanity
Architecture for Humanity is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1999 to promote architectural and design solutions to global, social and humanitarian crisis.

This initiative is part of Architecture for Humanity's latest endeavor to enable youth to make creative and sustainable change in their own backyards. In 2009 Architecture for Humanity launched the Open Architecture Challenge for Better Classroom Design. The ideas that emerged from the competition sparked a new dialogue between architects, teachers and students as how to best design and finance sustainable, inspiring learning environments. Today Architecture for Humanity continues this critical conversation with a simple goal: to deliver every student the 21^st century learning and leadership opportunities through the power of design. Earlier this year, Architecture for Humanity partnered with The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council and other industry leaders to research and pilot environmentally and fiscally scalable solutions for the nation's $650 billion maintenance needs. Through partnership, Architecture for Humanity seeks to further these conversations by training the next generation of sustainability thinkers and 'do-ers'.

If you'd like more information about this project, please call Architecture for Humanity at 1.415.963.3511 or email [email protected].

SOURCE Architecture for Humanity