2019: Ocean Challenge

More than 1,000 teams in 40 countries participated in the Ocean Challenge, making it one of the largest campaigns in our 10-year history! Student generated donations helped nine nonprofit organizations train coastal youth in ocean conservation and coral restoration.

Overview

Waves of support for our ocean and coastal communities.

The world’s ocean and the people who live closest to it face urgent environmental challenges—but the actions of young people made a collective wave of support. Students made over 250,000 sea creatures which were each matched with a donation from the Bezos Family Foundation. In total, $500,000 was donated to ocean conservation and programs training coastal youth in ocean conservation.

$500,000

raised of $500,000 goal

271,189

creative expressions

110,956

youth engaged

Motivation

Why the Ocean Challenge?

  • The ocean sustains us. It’s time to return the favor.

    Warming temperatures, overfishing, and pollution are negatively affecting ocean waters and marine life, and those effects will touch all of us worldwide.

    In particular, coastal residents and those with low incomes are disproportionately affected. These communities contribute the least to damaging the ocean, yet experience the brunt of the problems that result.

  • Students create to turn the tide.

    Learning about the issues facing the ocean and how they impact us all, over 100,000 students mobilized to help reach our goal of making 250,000 sea creatures! Many used recycled materials and create fun and unique creations. Each was matched with a $2 donation from the Bezos Family Foundation.

  • A flourishing finish!

    The donations generated by student-made art funded youth-focused, science-based programs in partnership with The Nature Conservancy and other deserving organizations. Young people gained valuable education and practical job skills as they monitor and evaluate local waters and help restore endangered coral reefs. These programs impacted over 3,500 coastal youth.

    Students artwork was put on display at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago During the summer of 2019.

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Activity guides, lesson plans, videos, and more to help you implement Students Rebuild in your school or organization.

Partners

The programs your art helps fund

For each Students Rebuild annual Project, we partner with high-impact organizations working on the ground to help strengthen communities worldwide—many of them household names. The funds we donate transform student work into immediate, on-the-ground progress for carefully vetted programs that are evaluated according to the outcomes they produce. In addition to extending our reach and helping our funding make more of a difference, our partners also inform the resources we provide to teachers and students.

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