The OurEcho Challenge

The OurEcho Challenge is a STEM competition that empowers youth to take a closer look at the biodiversity around them and step up as leaders in their communities. Young leaders will first identify threats to local ecosystems and then propose solutions to help preserve, protect, or repair those natural resources. This Spring, the OurEcho Challenge will open to youth in the USA, ages 13-16.


2025 WINNING TEAMS

  • 1st Place - Team MicroBirder from North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics in Durham, North Carolina
    This team plans to tackle noise pollution by building a small, low-cost device called MicroBirder that listens to the sounds around it and tells the difference between bird calls and human-made noise. It helps people learn how noise affects birds and gives them the tools to protect wildlife in their neighborhoods.
  • 2nd Place - Hudson’s Tomorrow: Floating Wetland Project from Hudson’s Tomorrow in Kingston, New York 
    This team plans to address water pollution by building floating wetland islands that help clean local waterways. The project uses local plants to filter harmful chemicals, support wildlife, and involve the community in protecting their environment.
  • 3rd Place - Project Genki from Clear Lake Genki Ball Project in Mountain View, California
    ‍    This project aims to improve the water quality of Clear Lake by using Genki Balls—mud balls filled with helpful microorganisms—to break down harmful sludge and reduce algae blooms. By cleaning the lake’s bottom, the project helps to balance oxygen levels, protect local fish species, and make the water cleaner and healthier for wildlife and people.

The Prizes

1

Grand Prize: $3,000

2

2nd Prize: $2,000

3

3rd Prize: $1,000

MEET PAST WINNERS

How It WOrks

Why Biodiversity?

Like an echo, the impact of every living species resonates among all other life to create the balance on which we all rely. This interconnectivity of life is called biodiversity. From the majestic blue whale to the hardworking honeybee, the complex web of life we call biodiversity touches every inch of our planet, including our own backyards.  And now, more than ever, this life sustaining variety needs our help.

Recognizing that half of the world’s biodiversity has been destroyed since 1970, the OurEcho Challenge empowers and engages young problem solvers in understanding and protecting the amazing diversity of species essential for the future of our planet.  Teams of young leaders, ages 13-16, tackle the decline in biodiversity head-on by identifying threats to natural resources in their communities and developing an innovative solution and action plan in the form of a sustainable process or prototype.
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Eager to make a difference in your own community? You could win one of three grants to fund a project of your own design in your school, park, or neighborhood. Explore these webpages and resources to learn more about how to submit your plan to change the world!