Introducing the 2018 finalists! In our inaugural season, 325 teens from around the world learned about social justice issues and created innovative solutions to the problems they care most about.
On June 10th, 2018, our finalist teams presented their projects to a panel of judges for a chance to win funding. Our judges awarded funding to 8 of the 10 projects!
judges
After an epiphany in 1997 changed the way Ari related to food, his heart opened up to the impact every person’s life has on countless beings and the world at large. Soon after this insight, Ari had a vision of himself attaining his worldly goals & dreams, yet left feeling empty inside. This led him to ground his life into practices such as mindfulness, compassionate eating, philanthropy, service and transformational entrepreneurship. Recent projects include hosting meditation retreats for activists, founding The Pollination Project, developing a 3MW+ solar energy install, and building a gift-based retreat center. The issues Ari feels most called to support are transforming our food system away from animal agriculture to plant based eating, transformational philanthropy, and antidotes to apathy.
Ariel Nessel
Kate Campbell has spent 25 years providing client-centered financial advice, including investment management and a broad range of financial planning services. In 2005 she founded the independent firm North Berkeley Investment Partners, now with six advisors & over 200 clients.
Community building and engagement is a cornerstone of Kate’s worldview. She works with several local nonprofit organizations, and chairs the board the Berkeley Food Network. Kate cares deeply particularly about food justice and economic justice, and the role of biodiversity in protecting the planet.
Kate Campbell
Jay Quigley is a philosopher, technologist, and musician. After earning his Ph.D. in philosophy from Florida State University, he pivoted to the worlds of technology and activism. Recently, he helped lobby for Berkeley's successful ban on the cruel products of the fur industry. Jay is passionate about expanding the circle of compassion to those rarely considered, including the global poor, farmed animals, and the amazing future beings who could exist if we don't go extinct.
Jay Quigley
FUNDED
teams
ALBANY STANDS
Our project aims to elevate marginalized voices. We plan to do this using a three pronged approach of workshops, forums, rallies, and videos to educate our peers, community, and larger world.
PLEDGED SUPPORT
LUX
LUX was formed in January 2018 with a goal to diminish the rate of date rape facilitated by the use of drugs during parties and at bars. By easily snapping it off thanks to its magnetic feature, the user can put the necklace’s pendant into their beverage to see if it has been contaminated by any date rape drugs such as Rohypnol, GHB or Ketamine. The LED light turns green when the drink is clean and red when it has been contaminated.
ALLIANCE OF RADICAL TEENS FOR CHANGE
Rocco, Gryphon, and Miranda are hoping to improve parent-teen relationships with their idea for the Changemaker Project.
METHPAIN
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Our group focused on creating an interactive platform which will promote the reduced consumption of meat diets. We realized this by designing a webpage that would display the vegetarian options at predetermined restaurants.
FUNDED
WOMEN HELPING WOMEN
We are a group of high school students who are passionate about helping homeless women in our community. We decided to create a website to document homeless women's stories and experiences to spread awareness about what they have to go through. With enough footage we hope to eventually make a documentary that captures the lives of people that usually go unseen.
FUNDED
COLLEGE 4 ALL
College 4 All is an easy to use student resource portal. It gives students in need access to free resources that can help them get into college.
FUNDED
OXYLAB
We are a team of students who felt unsatisfied with the amount of coverage on the opioid epidemic. We decided to take action by creating a website that provides more information on the epidemic and links to developed organizations. These organizations are concerned with raising awareness as well as providing resources for those who struggle with addiction, and their family members.
FUNDED
DYNAMIC DEVELOPERS
Project Aasha* is about providing vocational and life essential skills to underprivileged children who despite having the zeal to learn, lack the basic opportunity to explore their potential. Our tagline - "Providing for those who have the drive but not the means" reinforces Team Dynamic Developer's mission. We provide skills such as, decorating designer hair-clips, and also educate them about survival skills like using the First aid kit, and preventing infections.
FUNDED
GREENERGY
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Project Aahar aims to alleviate undernourishment and food hunger by serving nutritious, vegetarian meals including rice, dal (pulses), pav (bread), sabzi (vegetables), aachaar (pickle) to the underprivileged. We provide employment to cooks, who face financial issues, thus giving them with monetary aid to support their families and education of their children.
FUNDED
TEAM NEMO
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Project WattTree is a project aimed at saving the environment by cutting down the electricity consumption. By using home IoT technology to track electricity usage and an engaging mobile gaming platform, it strives to encourage the users to save electricity.
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