The National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) is pleased to announce the return of the popular Climate Superstars Challenge this October.
Presented through a partnership with NEEF, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (Samsung), and the EPA's ENERGY STAR® program, Climate Superstars is a 10-day online eco-challenge exclusively for middle school classrooms (grades 6-8) that teaches students about the environment and how they can take an active role in caring for its future.
Building on the success of last year's program, Climate Superstars will encourage students across the country to collaborate with their classmates as they complete all-new daily activities designed to be educational, engaging, and action-oriented. Tasks will cover topics such as where energy comes from, why energy conservation is important, and how the use of clean, green power can contribute to a healthier climate.
Registration is now open, and the Climate Superstars Challenge will take place October 19-30.
Online or In-person Learning Activities
To provide additional flexibility for students, tasks can be performed online or in-person. Classes that complete at least 7 of the 10 total tasks will be automatically entered into a drawing for a chance to win a Samsung Flip 2 digital flipchart for their classroom, courtesy of Samsung.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has created a challenging situation for educators,” said Mark Newton, head of corporate sustainability for Samsung Electronics America. “By adapting Climate Superstars to fit both virtual and in-person classroom environments, we hope to provide teachers with the flexibility they need to meet their educational objectives while keeping their students engaged and informed."
More Support for Educators
This year's Climate Superstars Challenge offers new resources to help educators incorporate the tasks into their lesson plans. The 2020 Climate Superstars Educator Guide contains supplemental material to give each task context, offer lesson suggestions, and provide additional information on subject matter.
The Climate Superstars platform will also be fully accessible a week before the competition begins to allow educators to become familiar with the program's online interface, participate in discussions with other educators, and ask any questions they may have before the challenge begins.
“By participating in the Climate Superstars Challenge, not only will students become more environmentally conscious, they will learn the value of working together to tackle the complex ecological issues of the future,” said Meri-Margaret Deoudes, president and CEO of NEEF.
For more information about the Climate Superstars Challenge, including official rules, how to register, and to obtain your copy of the Climate Superstars Educator Guide, please visit www.neefusa.org/education/climate-superstars.
