Teens Dream Video Challenge Award Winners

My dream is to establish a nonprofit organization that provides art and design programs to students in underprivileged schools. Through creating a platform that empowers youth artists from across the world, students from underfunded schools can be given the opportunity to explore their creative skills while connecting and encouraging teen artists to sell their art. I hope to brighten the days of students who lack access to quality art education and foster innovative and artistic minds in the next generation.
My dream is to combat global desertification. Desertification occurs when arable land degrades due to destructive human activities. Often, food resources become scarce and droughts increase in prevalence. 75% of global desertification is caused by over-cultivation. To keep up with rapid population growth, global crop yields must increase by 70% by 2050. To do so, farmers employ intensive cultivation methods that deteriorate soils, deplete freshwater resources, and contribute to desertification. Contradictorily, the solution to this crisis lies in weeds. Weeds are distinct from other plants because they can rapidly germinate and thrive in depleted soils. However, they often compete with crops for space and are expensive for farmers to eradicate. If farms collect the seeds from unwanted weeds and replant them strictly in desertified areas, these seeds will quickly grow to provide essential nutrients to degraded soils without disrupting nearby vegetation. Once the weeds have restored the soil, the area can be replaced with larger trees and crops to help feed our population and promote diverse ecosystems. To take this one step further, farmers can use these leftover pulled weeds to create a liquid fertilizer solution that I call “NutriBoost”. To make the fertilizer, farmers will add weeds and water to a large bucket and let sit for thirty days. Afterward, farmers will use a sieve to separate the plant material, seeds, and water. The separated seeds can again be replanted to continue the cycle of restoring degraded soils. The leftover plant material, however, will be blended with the collected nutrient-rich water. This mixture will leave farmers with organic fertilizers to aid crop growth and maintain soil quality. Evidently, my plan aligns with the UN’s fifteenth sustainable development goal of preserving life on land. By repurposing weeds, the world can minimize desertification while ensuring that all communities are provided equitable access to nutritious foods.
My idea is a day dedicated to reducing food-related carbon emissions, called National Eat Conscious Day. This day would incentivise people to eat in a conscious way to help bring down carbon emissions. That would involve eating locally and eating foods with a lesser environmental impact, like fruits and vegetables. I would also likely create a website, one page of which would contain recipes. This addresses the UN Sustainable Development Goal of Climate Action, as carbon emissions are a big factor in climate change. By working to reduce carbon emissions, we are taking action to help our planet.
I hope to create an algorithm that predicts Syncope in POTS patients.
My dream is to make it more equitable for students from all backgrounds to attend college by drawing attention to the importance of a school profile. This corresponds with UN SDG #4 Quality Education.
As a child, seeing the hardships women had to go through in my family to have enough money to survive, made my dream be to promote women’s economic empowerment worldwide. This involves capacitating girls with skills needed for the job market, as well as increasing their access to financial resources, often restricted for this group. A pivotal path for me to conquer this dream is to create an organization that provides girls with information that can be used to generate revenue, especially the ones about social entrepreneurship. This has an intrinsic relationship with the 5th Sustainable Development Goal since gender equality can only be achieved when women have the means to achieve their economic independence. Additionally, teaching girls about the development of social business - the main step in my dream - also means that they will have enough information to work towards achieving any SDG that they are passionate about.
My dream is to form a global foundation that supports scientific research using Artificial Intelligent and Robotic in wildfires prevention. I call my dream “Project Silvanus”. Silvanus is the Roman deity of the woods and the protector of the forest. My dream related to SDG #13 "Climate Action" and #15 "Life on Land" with a special focus on "sustainably manage forests"
My dream is to clean the beaches and seas , this will improve all the ocean ecosystem. My proposal is related to the SDG #14 Life Below Water.
I've got many dreams that I want to achieve. Some include being a famous conservationist and spreading conservation messages around the world, moving to Australia to become a Zoo Curator, having successful companies, getting degrees in Environmental Science and Zoology, and so much more. These are all long term dreams and goals, but my short term goal and dream is to create an online mega-platform for conservationists all around the world. This platform will be called "Consearthimal". As the name suggests, "Consearthimal" will concern the conservation of the Earth and its animals. This huge platform will become a one-stop shop for everything conservation related. People can see anything from petitions to articles. They can also see start-up projects, quizzes, forums, and so much more. This project relates to 6 UN SDGs, but it mainly concerns #15, Life on Land. I hope for this to be the kickstart on my journey as a conservationist!
Our dream consists in creating an app to help people with terminal disease that feel al one.

Changemaker Award Winners

My dream is that girls from an early age don’t suffer from sexual abuse and don’t feel inferior to a man the moment they want to reach any job. That’s why I would like to create a project against the abusers and empower young girls to defend themselves. Goal 5 - Gender Equality.
We want to address the issue of low-quality education in the U.S. and beyond which can also lead to unequal opportunities for many. Evidence shows that more funding in students' education can increase the outcome of achievements. This is important for students that are low-income and might not have access to the proper materials needed. Our solution for this issue is to have libraries help students and have the materials available for students. For example having tutoring sessions, computer access and possibly having the library have a section related to school texts so that students can access needed textbooks and required texts without needing to buy them. We would want to start in rural areas near us but hope to expand globally. To fund this system we want to implement an "Adopt a Library" system for businesses. Starting with education is a great way to improve the world and make a change.
My dream is make the oceans clean again as they used to be before the plastic revolution.
With this work we did, we wanted to see the world of women from our window. The difference created by gender discrimination in society cannot be underestimated. For this purpose, we have made it our duty to contribute as much as we can, and we have prepared an awareness video so that gender inequality, one of the biggest problems of our age, is seen as a problem by everyone. Our dream is to make our world equal, fair, and more livable.
Our dream is to show people where is the world going. Because world is being dragged to chaos right now. We might not be able to make everyone aware of this danger but if we start from small things like us, a group of highschool students trying to help the world, we can manage this goal.
I have big dream of change the planet from the pollution and plastic cause I have seen alot of pollution in my area and that has been big problem some marine specie's and biodiversity also isn't helpful local community that their substance is in ocean. I have created first mushrooms project as way to teach about pollution and think out of the box and I now want to try beauty product using recycled materials . I have also another dream that's about gender and equality but didn't focus on that yet cause first still wanna work on a way to reduce pollution...
It all started August 16 2015 when I received this shocking news that a friend of mine just died due to the lack of water to an extent he had to drink the water where waste gather to decay and many people has been drinking this water due to the lack of water in the community. Did you know cholera kill about 1.3 to 4.0 million people every year. This is very sad also according to me and my team research many people have died due to this same menance in this same community. Due to the fact that people where not able to dispose their refuse in the community this is one of the main reason they dump it anywhere. May my friend soul rest in perfect peace.

2020 Awardee Playlist

Mentor Awardees

Certificates of Recognition

José Pablo Álvarez Preinfalk - Costa Rica
Create an online network in our communities in which people can help others by donating food items
Michelle Villalba – New York
Prevent sexual assault by fostering a culture of consent in early education with the program MY CONSENT
Georgina Cebrià Sala – Spain
Increase the awareness plastic (and microplastic) waste with an app
Priya Stamper – Texas
Educate kids on how to build a lifetime of habits that promote good mental health
Kourtney Rathke - Colorado
Create pop-up non-profit grocery stands in areas where food insecurity is prevalent
Simay Irmak – Turkey
Challenge and change sexist assumptions through a social media awareness campaign
Isabelle Schantz – Colorado
Alleviate hunger through the Compassionate Consumption Program
Yiğit Kılıçkını – Turkey
Clean toxic water from industry through an aquaponics system
Keanna Davenport - Iowa
Plant trees in my community to raise awareness of different types of deforestation, and combat the issue locally
Ravza Elif Ekinci – Turkey
Demolish the "wastes bridges" that extend to the 7th continent and spread awareness of "how to consume"

$500 Award Winners 

Grace Angela Comerford - Illinois
Write a book that describes global warming in an easy to comprehend manner and elaborates on what kids can do to help our planet
Jibeh Fatty – New York
End female genital mutilation around the world by creating a book titled “We Will Not Be Tamed”
Sumya Abida – New York
Reduce plastic pollution in the ocean through the app DO YOUR PART developed specifically for young people
Faisal AlFozan – Kuwait
Convert PET bottle waste into 3D printer filament to eliminate plastic waste
Aurora Sadasy & Esther Bistricer - New York
Address homelessness and uplift the unhoused through community gardens and equitable education
Ellie Miyasaki – California
Rid the ocean of plastic pollution by collecting trash before it enters major waterways
Faaris Zuberi, Dylan Safai, and Eeshaan Shukla – Maryland & California
Develop Porta, a groundbreaking app that helps immigrants learn financial literacy
Ainsley Martin – New Mexico
Educate more people on the 7 principles of Leave No Trace while enjoying outdoor activities
Mena Jiménez Mallerly Jennifer - Ecuador
Help small businesses be more competitive in the digital world
Sarah Olson, Haley Jansons, Isabella Shady, Madelyn Stochaj - Massachusetts
Encourage data-driven, widespread recycling through local school system. Address injustice through plantings in disadvantaged neighborhoods to capture carbon, reduce air pollution

Congratulations to all of our 2019 Video Contest Winners. Our Grand Prize winner was given $500 and announced October 3rd 2020 at our Virtual Celebration – awarded to Laia Martinoy Batlle, of Catalonia Spain, for her wonderful video focused on stopping hunger by saving the food we are wasting, which supports SDG #12 on Responsible Consumption and Production.


2019 List:

Laia Martinoy Batlle – Catalonia, Spain
My dream is to stop hunger by saving the food we are wasting now, which supports SDG #12 on Responsible Consumption and Production
Ryan Song – Auburn, Washington, USA
My dream is that we all work together to have a big impact to save our planet, which supports SDG # 13 on Climate Action
Kristina Smolianinova – Abu Dhabi, UAE
My dream is to provide valuable education for all children, critical for most humans to improve life style, which supports SDG #4 on Quality Education
Samuel Parker Celico – Denver Colorado, USA
My dream is to see cities design tiny housing, aligning with SDG #11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities
Gulcin Eroglu and Team - Turkey
My dream is to prevent food waste because we have enough food to feed everyone. As Yunus Emre says, "if we share, we will be full. If we are separated, we will disappear.
Ceren Nur Polat – Turkey
My dream is that we have a genderless society, in alignment with SDG #5 Gender Equality
Claire Cohen – Orange County, California, USA
My dream is to stop the pollution that is destroying the coral reefs which could lead to endangerment of all marine life, supporting SDG # 14 Life Below Water.
Muweera Joseph – Uganda
My dream is an education system based on project based learning, in line with SDG #4 on Quality Education.
Magali Brunner – Girona, Catalonia, Spain
My dream is to erase loneliness of elders by bringing together the elderly with the young, relating to SDG #3, Good Health and Well-being.

Congratulations to all of our 2018 Video Contest Winners. Our Grand Prize winner was given $500 and announced at our 2019 Washington DC Teens Dream Celebration – awarded to Keoni Carrion of Orangevale, CA USA for his dream focusing on improving our oceans by inspiring others to be change makers via his filmmaking, which relates to Life Below Water SDG #14.


2018 List:

Madison Agraviador – Long Beach, CA, USA
My dream is to reduce the amount of food we waste, which supports SDG #12 on Responsible Consumption and Production
Keoni Carrion – Orangevale, CA, USA
My dream is to improve our oceans by inspiring others to be change makers via my filmmaking, which relates to Life Below Water SDG #14
Jacob Esmane – Long Beach, CA, USA
My dream is to spread autism awareness and implement this into SDG #3 on Good Health and Wellbeing
Jay Fields – Long Beach, CA, USA
My dream is for the LGBT community to be seen as normal which supports SDG #10 on Reduced Inequality
Eren Levine – New York, NY, USA
My dream is to reduce the amount of paper wasted from the New York Bus System, supporting SDG #11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities
Pau Ramirez – Sant, Catalonia, Spain
My dream is to improve the world’s environment by limiting the water we throw away supporting SDG #12 Responsible Consumption and Production
Marieka Staheli – Shoreline, WA, USA
My dream is for the world to realize the urgency of the need to use clean energy, which relates to SDG # 13 on Climate Action
Zeynep Toprakbasti – Bellevue, WA, USA
My dream is to support people in expressing themselves through art so that their voices may be better heard as a way to reduce inequalities addressing SDG #10
Diana Vicezar, Asuncion, Paraguay
My dream is to help the 200 million stray dogs with housing, as a means of addressing SDG #15 Life on Land

Congratulations to all of our 2017 Video Contest Winners. Scroll down to view all of the winning videos. Winning submissions are listed below.

Congratulations to all of our 2017 Teens Dream Winners below! And, to Jacqueline Mendoza of California our 2017 $500.00 Grand Prize Winner!

2017 List:

Personal Dreams
Porter Christensen – Utah, USA
My dream is that through my creative works of storytelling and making films I will be able to unite the world to address goals like discrimination, poverty, and violence.
Cyril King – Connecticut, USA
My dream is to to rise up and fight for equality of all people, but specifically people of LGBT+ who are discriminated against who often live in fear, sadness, depression and wanting of acceptance. I want to give them hope.
Victor Corja – Virginia, USA
My dream is that my home country of Moldova could have more international aid and support to help it have stronger institutions and be free of corruption.
Community Dreams
Mar Torrent & Laia Font – Spain
My dream is that during Christmas people will use responsible light consumption, avoid buying useless presents, and recycle wrappings, to address responsible consumption and production because we live in a world where consumism rules.
Ryann Chalmers – California, USA
My dream is for my community to help address the stigma around mental health and that we can work together to help people who struggle with mental health issues.
Pramudito Harjo Widodo – Indonesia
My dream is that kids in my country of Indonesia will break the loop of poverty by offering everyone a free education so they can have better jobs and a better life than their parents.
Global Dreams
Jacqueline Mendoza – California, USA
My dream is for the entire world to be aware of life below water and what damage we are causing to the lifeforms underneath.
Maria Drăgoi – Romania
My dream is to convince everyone that non-formal education and experimental learning is vital to educate more effectively.
Jonathan Yun – Connecticut, USA
My dream is that people will be able to see past the comfort of their lives and environment and to places where we sometimes forget exist, like the ocean.

Congratulations to all of our 2016 Video Contest Winners. Scroll down to view all of the winning videos. Winning submissions are listed below.

Congratulations to all of our 2016 Teens Dream Winners below! And, to Elena Beer of London our 2016 $500.00 Grand Prize Winner!

2016 List:

Personal Dreams
Charlie Werner and Harrison Segal – Califonia USA
Our dream is to encourage people to pick up one piece of trash a day, which would have a massive impact on our environment. This video raises awareness about how the environment is affected by people littering, especially in coastal areas.
Austin Anthony Cofrancesco – Connecticut USA
My dream is to create peace and justice between police forces and citizens. I want my dream to come true because there are so many stories about how balck people are being treated wrongly by police.
Sophia T. Alfred – Maryland USA
My dream is to help break the shackles of the political, social, and economic inequalities designed to censor creativity and block potential by entertaining (creating music and dancing to it). I hope to give young people everywhere the inspiration, motivation, and support to nationalize and globalize their culture and voice.
Community Dreams
Adrianna Rosario – Georgia USA
My dream is to improve education, beginning with my community. There are many ways education fails students of varying learning-types, but I think the solutions are out there.
Henry Max Paterson – New Zealand
My dream is to get New Zealand’s rivers back up to the standard they were twenty years ago. Our rivers are filled with high levels of Nitrates and E. Coli, and over 90% of our low lying rivers are classified as polluted so few of our rivers are now swimmable with most completely dried up.
Sanjana Shah – California USA
My dream is to use my technical skills to bridge the gender gap, so that girls are not under-represented in the programming field. I started mentoring young girls when I was in my middle school and I feel that by doing that, I have the potential to make a difference.
Global Dreams
Elena Beer – London, UK
My dream is to save the environment by means of responsible consumption and production. The steps are little for the average person yet with everyone taking them, the staircase leads us to a much healthier world!
William Boucher – France
Our dream is that one day, there will be zero food waste. This dream is connected to the twelfth sustainable development goal, responsible consumption and production as responsible consumption means zero food waste.
Elizabeth Dearden-Williams – London UK
My dream is that inequality in the world and the focus on our differences will be reduced to such a level that peace, nonviolence and justice will come more naturally to us as world citizens.

Congratulations to all of our 2015 Video Contest Winners. Scroll down to view all winning video submissions and their dreams.

Congratulations to all of our 2015 Teens Dream Winners below! And, to JAYO of South London our 2015 $500.00 Grand Prize Winner!

2015 List:

Personal Dreams
Jordan (JAYO), South London, UK – GRAND PRIZE WINNER!
My dream is that millions will hear my music.
Soren and Amir, London, UK
Our dream is to make movies with each other.
Marina, New York
My dream is to one day become a film editor and director
Community Dreams
Anthony, Minnesota, USA
My dream is that we work to reduce the stigma around mental health.
Vanessa, Georgia, USA
My dream is to help the homeless in our communities.
Ruby and Gabby, Alabama, USA
Our dream is that everyone can have a quality education.
Global Dreams
Anna, Michigan, USA
My dream is that the world would be free from the dependence on animals with a first step creating a stem cell hamburger.
Marcus, Estonia
My dream is that people care to purchase chocolate produced without child labor.
Catherine and Kylie, Kentucky, USA
Our dream is that all women have access to education, especially those from developing countries.

Congratulations to all of our 2014 Video Contest Winners. Scroll down to view all of the winning videos.

Congratulations to all of our 2014 Teens Dream Winners below! And, to Carly Johnson our 2014 $500.00 Grand Prize Winner.

2014 List:

Personal Dreams
Allison Baumgart, Endicott, NY
Tim Eddy, Lennox Head, Australia
Connor Den Boer, Phoenix, AZ
Community Dreams
Lauren Smith, Concord, NC
Riko Miyazaki, Tallulah Falls, GA
Jenna Larson, Rockford, IL
Global Dreams
Salvatore Negro, Pemberton, NJ
Carly Mae Johnson, Allen, TX
Cameron Kostopoulos, Fort Worth, TX