Are you in grades K - 6th? Do you have a passion for the planet and creating art? Join our environmental art contest and create a piece that depicts Small Heroes, Big Impact! Submit your work online and to Council member Kathleen Treseder at her office at Irvine City Hall to be judged. Winners receive up to $100 and recognition at City Hall!

Check out this link for more information: Contest Rules

Enter the contest using this link: Submissions

Feel free to E-Mail us at programs@cooloc.org with any questions.

We’re excited to announce the winners of our 2025 Fall Green Student Challenge! This season brought an incredible range of student-led projects addressing real-world environmental issues — from fast fashion and recycling to microplastics.

The creativity, research, and passion behind these submissions made selecting winners especially challenging. We are deeply inspired by every student who participated and grateful for their leadership, curiosity, and commitment to protecting our planet.

The winners are...

Irvine Winners

High School

HS Winner: Claire Chong (Portola HS)

HS Winner: Takaji Murase (Woodbridge HS)

HS Runner up: Izaan Shaikh (Portola HS)

Group Winner: Julia Poveromo and ZiYue Zhu (Woodbridge HS)

Middle School

Middle School Winners: Senya and Sineli Wijenayake (Rancho San Joaquin MS)

Middle School Runner-up: Giselle Drewett (Stanford Online)

OC Winners

High School

HS Individual: Leann Nguyen (Westminster HS)

HS Runner up: Jenny Nguyen (Westminster HS)

Group Winner: ACC Environmental Club - Yuna Choi, Nia Reyes, Om Gogadani (Troy HS)

Middle School

MS Individual: Annie Nguyen (Stacey MS)

Honorable Mentions to our Challenge participants... Irvine Schools

Muun Uuganbaatar (Woodbridge HS)

Seji Ro (Crean Lutheran HS)

Madison Stark (Crean Lutheran HS)

Chaewon Ha (Crean Lutheran HS)

Avi Mostaghni (Irvine HS)

Orange County Schools

Vivian Check (Westminster HS)

Sampriti Subudhi (Bonita HS)

Jaden Alvarez (Westminster HS)

Brianna La (Westminster HS)

🌿 Student Green Challenge – Fall 2025

Calling all middle and high school students in Orange County!

Join Cool OC’s Student Green Challenge and show how small actions can lead to big impact. From October 10 – November 8, 2025 (Deadline extended to November 16th!), students can create a Call to Action video or flyer about an environmental issue that matters to them.

Prizes & Recognition (2 sets of winners, 1 for middle school, 1 for high school)

🏆 Individual Winner: $200 gift card (1)

🥈 Runner Up: $100 gift card (1)

👥 Group Winner: $300 gift card (1)

Winners will also be recognized by a local elected official at City Hall.

 How It Works

1. Sign Up: Complete the Participation Form and Parent Consent Form.

2.Create Your Call to Action: Research an issue, explain its impact, and inspire others through a 60-90 second video or flyer.

Deadline: All submissions are due by November 16, 2025 at 11:59 PM.

Entries will be scored on clarity, creativity, and persuasiveness. 

Go here for FULL DETAILS!

Start your journey toward a greener, more sustainable future!

Questions? Email programs@cooloc.org

The Youth Climate Leadership Council provides input and outreach at their schools for Cool OC’s youth programs while also leading initiatives of their own design. The committee runs from September 2024 through April 2025, with an expected 8-month commitment. Members contribute an average of 4 hours per month through regular meetings (biweekly or monthly) and by supporting Cool OC events both in person and independently.

Deadline to Apply: September 19, Limited Spots! Passionate and dedicated youth who would like to serve can apply HERE.

Ready to make a difference in your community and the planet?

Join to become a climate leader and gain the skills to drive real change in your community!

• Meet virtually or in person for 10 hours of interactive training across 5 engaging sessions

• 5-8 hours of independent work to put what you learned to practice

• Celebrate with a graduation party and certificate of completion

• Serving middle school & high school students

There will be two cohorts for the Youth Climate Leadership Program:

Summer Session 1 in July and Summer Session 2 in August.

Fill out the form here

Feel free to email us at programs@cooloc.org with any questions.

Ready to Make a Real Impact?

If you want to move beyond talk and take meaningful action for the planet, Youth Climate Hangouts is the place to start. Join a community of high school students who are transforming their passion into tangible projects and events that drive change.

This is more than an after-school activity. It’s a platform to develop leadership, collaborate with peers, and contribute to a sustainable future.

Interested in joining? Scan the QR code or click here to learn more and get involved. The future depends on today’s leaders. Will you be one of them?