Over the past eleven years, the Lexus Eco Challenge has awarded more than $5 million in scholarships that have helped more than 33,000 middle and high school students have an impact on their communities, learn about the environment and improve their teamwork skills.

This year, Grand Prize winners in the Lexus Eco Challenge competition turned recycled plastic bags and reusable materials into fashionable bracelets and homemade candles that share the gift of light.

More than 2, 300 students in grades 6-12 found creative ways to take their passion in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to a whole new level.

This year’s high school Grand Prize-winning team is the “Enerjagers” from Saint Joseph Academy in Cleveland, Ohio. Enerjagers and teacher advisor Kristen Schuler focused on reusing materials and trash, which would otherwise find its way into a landfill.

The students also produced 600 candles from old glassware, crayons and beeswax and distributed them to local residents. Team members of Enerjagers said they learned a lot about the environment while working on their project.

“Throughout the challenge, I learned that my daily choices make an environmental impact now and for future generations,” said Joslyn Muniz, 18, Enerjager team member. “My friends and family joined with me in making better choices in our daily lives to be more environmentally friendly.”

Tatyjana Henry, 18, agreed with her classmate Joslyn that the Lexus Eco Challenge competition was a positive experience.

“I am so thankful for the opportunity to do something to improve the environment and raise awareness in our community,” she said.

The Grand Prize-winning middle school team was “Plastic Elastic 3.0” from Christa McAuliffe School (P.S. 28) in Jersey City, NJ, guided by teacher advisors Malissa Yabut and Robert O’Donnell. They explored and confronted the dangers of how microfibers work their way into our water supply and eventually into our food. They also created jewelry from recycled plastic bags and gave them as gifts to young students and local seniors.

“As an inner city Title I district, our students have access to an incredible educational support system that enables them to feel empowered with their own ideas and have the guidance they need to pursue their goals,” said Malissa Yabut, one of the group’s advisors. “On behalf of the students and school community of P.S.#28 in Jersey City, NJ, we extend our sincere gratitude and appreciation for all parties involved in the Lexus Eco Challenge.”

“It is the organization's acknowledgment and support of our students’ work in environmental science that drives us all to do more to ensure the preservation and conservation of our local and global environment,” she added.

The Lexus Eco Challenge, an educational contest that empowers students to learn about the environment and take action to improve it, awarded a total of $500,000 in scholarships and grants to the winning student teams, their teachers, and schools.

Lexus and Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education, and media company, reviewed the finalists’ innovative submissions and selected one middle and high school team as the 2017-2018 Lexus Eco Challenge Grand Prize winners.

The Grand Prize-winning teams each receive an additional $30,000, divided into a $7,000 grant for the school, a $3,000 grant for the team’s teacher advisor, and $20,000 in scholarships for the students to share. Eight First Place-winning teams are awarded an additional $15,000 each.

The Lexus Eco Challenge also provides supplemental educational materials, created and distributed by Scholastic, to encourage teachers to integrate creative environmental lesson plans into their classrooms. For each year’s challenge, the website has lesson plans and teacher instructions, including questions to help guide a discussion about the current challenge topic, facts about the topic, and guidelines for a specific classroom project.

Lexus will open the 12th annual 2018-2019 Lexus Eco Challenge this fall with $500,000 in prize money for eligible students, teachers, and schools. Information on how students and teachers can participate in the “Land and Water” and/or “Air and Climate” challenges will be available this summer at www.scholastic.com/lexus.