By Carlos Roa, VoLo Foundation
High school students from Central Florida presented environmental projects aimed at addressing current climate challenges during the “Creating a Sustainable Planet” student contest, organized by Mi Familia en Acción. This initiative is supported by VoLo Foundation.
For this edition, organizers invited not only the winning teams but all 10 finalist teams to the awards ceremony, a decision intended to ensure fair participation among the students involved.
Nearly all finalists attended the event, made possible through coordination among teachers and parents, who helped organize transportation for the students.
Local and state officials were also present, including Maria Salamanca, a member of the Orange County School Board; state Rep. Johanna López (District 43), who presented legislative proclamations to the four students on the first-place team; Luis M. Martínez, from the Orlando Mayor’s Office of Community Affairs; and Orlando City Commissioner Tony Ortiz.
All 40 student finalists received official proclamations signed by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, while the winning team also received a proclamation from the Florida Legislature, presented by López.
During the ceremony, teams showcased their projects and organizers emphasized community leadership as a key component of the competition.
As part of the contest, Mi Familia en Acción encouraged students to share their finalist projects on Instagram to measure their ability to mobilize community support. The posts generated more than 124,000 interactions, with about 24,000 attributed to the winning team, which also received the contest’s Leadership Award.
Soraya Márquez, Mi Familia en Acción’s Florida director, highlighted the students’ commitment.
“Seeing these students show a genuine interest in sustainability and the future of the planet is what allows us to move forward as a community,” she said.
Winning projects
- First place: Colonial High School — Every Drop Counts, focused on water conservation and responsible water use.
- Second place: Poinciana High School — United for the Earth.
- Third place: Osceola High School — Eco-Friendly Oven.
- Fourth place (special mention): Lake Buena Vista High School — Smart Solar-Powered Lighting, recognized for the quality of the project and student effort.
In addition to academic recognition, the event included an educational component. Dr. Bernardita Sierra, an education specialist, led an informational session on academic pathways and requirements for college scholarships, encouraging students to pursue higher education goals
New initiatives
Looking ahead, Mi Familia en Acción announced the launch of a community campaign to collect plastic prescription containers, with an initial goal of 4,000 units. The containers will be recycled for veterinary use.
Participating schools will serve as collection sites beginning in January, and organizers are exploring partnerships with local grocery stores to expand collection points.
Mi Familia en Acción also said future editions of the contest will focus on implementing winning projects, allowing student proposals to translate into concrete actions with positive environmental impact.
Carlos Roa is senior press and PR director for VoLo Foundation. VoLo Foundation is a financial supporter of The Invading Sea. This piece was originally published at https://volofoundation.org/news/student-contest-promotes-sustainability-in-central-florida/. Banner photo: Participants in the Sustainable Planet contest (Estrella Ojeda photo).
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