From making a drawing or a sculpture to recycling, gardening and composting: these are some of the actions that kids and teens between 4 and 15 years old from all over the country can take from home to participate in the 2021 “My Guardian Challenge” competition.
The contest’s aim is to empower and create awareness of young people as agents of change that benefit the environment, in accordance with the Sustainable Development Goals. It is promoted by the Nosara Guardians of Nature organization, the Ministry of Public Education (MEP), the United Nations Program (UNDP) and Dos Pinos.
Prizes include compost bins, Guardians of Nature books, art kits, and computers. To win, kids need to participate in one or more challenges that they can develop within their family bubble. The more challenges they complete, the more chances they have to win.
With the My Guardian Challenge, we wanted to propose a project that would allow people to go from words to action and, with this, involve the family to take up more sustainable practices that translate into well-being for everyone,” said the executive director of the Guardians of Nature Movement, Jessica Sheffield.
This is the third time the contest has been held, but for the first time, it will also award prizes to educational centers that have students participating.
As of August 10, 172 students had already signed up for the contest.
The challenges for students are:
- Artistic expression challenge: Express your identity as a guardian of nature through an artistic creation, such as a drawing, a short story, a comic strip, poetry or a sculpture. Included the title “I Guardian.”
- Solid waste management challenge: Demonstrate how you Reuse, Reduce and Recycle at home.
- Composting challenge: Demonstrate your first steps in creating organic compost or how you have made it a reality already at your house.
- My garden at home challenge: Demonstrate your first steps in creating a garden at your house or how you have already made it a reality at your house.
- Water resource challenge: Show how you and your family protect water through actions such as rainwater harvesting, saving water or cleaning a river.
- Diversity Challenge: Show planting native trees at your house or in your community.
How to enter?
To participate, you must complete the form available at this link no later than August 21. Also, you should send a maximum of two photographs for each challenge to [email protected] with the name and age of the child in the email’s “subject” line.
The jury, made up of workers from the institutions and companies that are sponsoring and organizing the contest, will take into account the number of challenges completed, the quality of the evidence, creativity, innovation, and how the challenges are related to the Sustainable Development Goals. In total, they will award two participants in each age range: 4-6 years old, 7-9 years old, 10-12 years old and 13-15 years old.
Boys and girls at La Maravilla School, in Hojancha, planted Lorito trees in the school’s green areas after a workshop given by Guardians of Nature in 2019. Photo: Jessie Ramos
School Involvement
The contest will also award 10 educational centers that have students participating, that are part of the Ecological Blue Flag Program and that develop environmental impact initiatives such as waste separation, use of solar panels, composting or actions to save water and electricity.
The 10 winning schools will receive 20 desks, a compost bin and 50 Guardians of Nature books. As of August 10, only nine schools had entered.
To participate, complete the form available at this link no later than August 21 and send two photos that provide evidence of the participatory program at the educational center to [email protected].
For more information on the contest, visit the site www.movimientoguardianes.org/mi-reto-guardian-2021/
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