Macmillan Education Caribbean has revealed the winners of the 2024-25 Young Environmental Scientists (YES) Competition, recognising the creative solutions students across the Caribbean have developed to address sustainability challenges. The competition, which was inspired by Sustainable Development Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), encouraged participants to find innovative ways to resolve environmental issues within their communities.
This year’s competition saw strong participation from schools across the region, with top honours awarded to students from Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica, and Guyana. In the Primary Category, where students were tasked with creating useful objects from waste materials, TML Super Planters from TML Primary School, Trinidad & Tobago, won first place with their self-watering planter crafted from repurposed wood, plastic bottles, a hose, and a bucket, used to grow Chocolate Mint. Anchovy Innovators from Anchovy Primary, Jamaica, claimed second place for their flood debris collection device made from an old fan cover, mesh, and wheels.
In the Secondary Category, students designed and tested ideas for sustainable towns. First place was awarded to Environmental Guardians from Queen’s College, Guyana, for their innovative lampshade model that illuminates roads without contributing to light pollution, which could harm bats and other ecosystems. Ravens Builders from St. Jago High School, Jamaica, took second place with their experiment on using recycled CDs and DVDs to generate solar energy as an alternative power source.
Dr. Aldrin E. Sweeney, a competition judge from Barbados, commended the participants for their creativity and problem-solving skills: “I was quite impressed with the ingenuity and creativity of many of these projects. Several of the projects could well be extended into prototypes for serious consideration by various countries in the Caribbean.”
Now in its second year, the YES Competition continues to inspire and nurture environmental awareness and innovation among young students in the Caribbean. This year’s projects demonstrate the growing potential of the region’s youth to drive sustainable change through their ideas and initiatives.
Macmillan Education Caribbean will be showcasing highlights from the competition, including the winning projects, through a video available on its website and social media platforms. The winning teams will soon receive prizes, including educational equipment for their schools and an interactive workshop to further develop their knowledge and passion for sustainability.
For more information on the Young Environmental Scientists Competition, visit www.macmillan-caribbean.com or follow Macmillan Education Caribbean on social media for updates on future initiatives.
