NEED Youth Awards
All NEED schools have outstanding classroom-based programs in which students learn about energy. Some schools have student leaders who extend these activities into their communities. To recognize outstanding achievement and reward student leadership, The NEED Project conducts the National Youth Awards Program for Energy Achievement. Free to participate, this program combines academic competition with recognition to acknowledge everyone involved in NEED during the year – and to recognize those who achieve excellence in energy education in their schools and communities. The students and teachers set goals and objectives and keep a record of their activities. In April, the students combine their materials into presentations and submit them online.
The Youth Awards Program is great for all schools—new to energy education, or veteran. Projects and outreach completed for the program provide opportunity for enrichment and engagement, as well as an opportunity for your students, classroom, and school to shine.
Whether you’re back in the classroom, learning virtually, or a hybrid of the two – consider submitting a project for NEED’s 2021 Youth Awards Program for Energy Achievement!
PROJECT GUIDELINES
Obtain a loose leaf binder or keep a digital file in which to compile all of the activities, work samples, photos and videos you collect along the way as you work through your project. Use these items to help create your digital slideshow in PowerPoint or other similar software. Your slideshow must be able to be saved as a PDF for uploading once complete. Make sure your slides follow this format.
Reporting and documentation is limited to the slide limits set for each type of project. Projects with excess slides will not be considered in judging.
Outline of Slides to include in your project documentation
Level 1 – Signature Project
- Multi-faceted outreach project that is student-driven.
- Covers several energy content areas and activities.
- Completion of a 15-slide digital slideshow that showcases goals of projects, activities completed, and results achieved.
- Projects are uploaded to the Youth Awards Project submission website.
- Projects will be judged at the state and national levels with the opportunity to attend the National Recognition Ceremony in June.
- Special recognition may be given to projects that excel in one the following areas:
– Exemplary Community Energy Education
– Energy Engineering and Design
– Exemplary School Energy Efficiency
– Connecting to Careers in Energy
Level 2 – Foundation Project
- Single activity outreach project that is student-driven.
- Focuses on a limited content area or set of activities.
- Completion of a 4-slide digital slideshow that showcases the goals and results of the project
- Projects are uploaded to the Youth Awards Project submission website.
- Projects will be recognized at the local level for outstanding efforts in the classroom and the community.
- Projects will not be judged.
*Foundations Projects will not be eligible to attend the National Recognition Ceremony in June.
Groups may elect to submit video documentation with their submissions. Videos will be considered but are not required, and will be displayed throughout the National Recognition weekend and on the NEED web site.
- Videos should be no longer than three minutes.
- Videos should be created and uploaded to YouTube for hosting.
- A link to the video must be shared when completing application information on the Youth Awards Project submission web site Programs should ensure students have completed their school’s media release documentation, if necessary.
REMINDER
Save your project as a PDF for uploading to the submission site. All projects must be uploaded in PDF format. Please make sure the file name includes your school name and category (schoolname.level.pdf).
NEED is currently updating the project submission site. It will be open soon!
The deadline to submit projects is April 15, 2021.
FOR MORE INFORMATION DOWNLOAD THE YOUTH AWARDS PROGRAM GUIDE
All Guides in the NEED Shop are available for FREE e-publication or PDF download.
NEED YOUTH AWARDS
PROGRAM RESOURCES
Submit Your Project
Projects are due April 15th! NEED is finalizing the project application site and it will be available soon to upload your project!
Youth Energy Leadership Award
Leadership Award Application
Details and to apply click here! Applications must be submitted by April 30, 2021.
Apply to be on Youth Staff!
Youth Staff Application
View application requirements here. Deadline has passed for 2021, but check back later this fall when the 2022 Youth Staff application opens.
NEED YOUTH AWARDS
WINNERS
2020 Winners
Bednarcik Junior High School, Aurora, IL
National Junior School of the Year (2019) National Junior Runner Up (2018) Outstanding Community Outreach Project (2018) Illinois Junior School of the Year (2018 & 2019)
Bosque School, Albuquerque, NM
2020 Project
Project Title: “Challenging Energy and Environment”
Project Advisor: Barb Lazar
Student […]
2019 National Winners
William Penn Middle School, Yardley, PA
National Junior School of the Year (2018) Pennsylvania School of the Year (2018 & 2019)
Wheaton North High School, Wheaton, IL
National Senior Rookie Finalist Illinois Senior School of the Year
Western Coventry Elementary School, Coventry, RI
National Elementary Runner Up Rhode Island Elementary School of the Year
Suitland Elementary, Suitland, MD
Maryland School of the Year Outstanding School Energy Efficiency Project
St. James Intermediate, Myrtle Beach, SC
National Elementary Rookie of the Year South Carolina Elementary School of the Year
NATIONAL ENERGY EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
YOUTH ENERGY CONFERENCE AND AWARDS
Students who participate in the Youth Awards Program and meet criteria as determined by their Lead Teacher or parent are invited to attend the Youth Energy Conference and Awards in Washington, D.C.
The Annual NEED Youth Energy Conference and Awards gives students more opportunities to learn about energy and to explore energy in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). The annual June conference will have students from across the country working in groups on an Energy Challenge designed to stretch their minds and energy knowledge.
NOTE: NEED is closely monitoring the COVID-19 public health situation. The 2021 Youth Energy Conference & Awards is being planned as an in-person event (June 25-28), but may be converted to a virtual event based on local health guidelines.
COMING SOON! Details and registration to attend the Youth Energy Conference.
