You have the power to make a difference!

Challenge Fast Facts:

• The Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge at the elementary school level is designed to help students work together to solve an environmental problem in their classroom or school community.
• Open to all elementary school classes in grades K-5 with a Class Advisor/Mentor, who must be a full-time or part-time school employee. See Official Rules for more information.
• The Class Advisor/Mentor must register a class to begin (up to 50 students in a class). Then the Class Advisor/Mentor can work with his or her class to complete and submit the application.
• The challenge focus for elementary school is change at the classroom or school community level.
• All submitted work must be completed during the entry period.
• The challenge is open September 13, 2012 through March 5, 2013.
• K-2 entries and 3-5 entries will be judged separately and a first, second and third prize winner from both K-2 and 3-5 will be selected.

The Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge offers students the opportunity to use science, math, and reading/language arts concepts and skills to create sustainable, reproducible environmental improvements. For example, students utilize their comprehension skills by reading and summarizing non-fiction texts.  Then they use their writing skills to write an action plan to solve a local environmental issue based on what they have learned.

With the help of the Eco-heroes, students as a class can become Agents of Change. The five Eco-heroes on the website, Thera, Typhoon, Cirrus, Solara, and Aja, will help you provide encouragement and information for your class. But the most important eco-hero, you, will guide the class through the Challenge and help them reach beyond themselves and learn how to create change in your school environment. 

The Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge at the elementary level consists of six steps. View the elementary school application to learn more.

The resources on this website such as the sample project ideas and past year's winners' projects may help you guide students to identify something in the classroom or school that they can change to help improve the environment.  It is important to note that the Challenge takes a scientific approach to the change process. The class collects data that helps them demonstrate that a change has taken place.

Top prizes include a grant for your school and green prize packs full of the latest in fun and sustainable products for each member of the winning classes.

Today's students are ready to change the world.  Help them get started!