Today, we are thrilled to celebrate the 2025 Ciena Solutions Challenge Sustainability Award recipients, representing 62 teams from across 24 countries, including 20 teams that will receive a $3,000 Sustainability Award, and 42 additional teams that will receive $750 to sustain and scale their projects.
From a project to decode virus genomes in Georgia, a device that converts text to braille in India, and a campaign to recycle used clothing in the United States, learn more about these amazing projects and get inspired to join the next round of the Challenge launching in September.
Congratulations to all the student teams who participated in the 2024-2025 Ciena Solutions Challenge, including the student teams below from Afghanistan, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Czech Republic, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Lebanon, Malaysia, Nigeria, Panama, Philippines, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, United States, and Yemen.
Register for the Ciena Solutions Challenge Student Panels at the upcoming YouthMADE Festival (May 5-18) to connect live with some of the teams above and to learn more about opportunities to showcase student-led work in your own community.
Project: Digital Literacy and Citizenship for Youth and Adult Education
Site: EE Simpliciano Campolim de Almeida (Nova Campina, São Paulo)
Educator: Ivanete Landim
Essential Question: How to introduce digital literacy to adult students to restore citizenship within their social context?
Project: International Collaboration for Sustainable Solutions in the Amazon: Inspiring Students to Build a Better Tomorrow
Site: Colégio Militar de Manaus (Manaus, Amazonas)
Educator: Henrique Lima
Essential Question: What sustainable solutions can we create to manage waste and protect life in the Amazon?
Project: Fisher and the Chocolate Factory
Site: Fisher Park Summit Alternative Public School (Ottawa, Ontario)
Educator: Meghan Polowin and Cameron Wallace
Essential Question: How can we educate others about sustainability and fair trade to ensure a better future?
Projects: Virus Genome Decoder- Decoding the future of Health and Science | Digital map of Sachkhere.- (Digital Community Mapping)
Site: Sachkhere public school N2 (Sachkhere)
Educator: Maia Tkemaladze and Marina Shalamberidze
Essential Questions: How does decoding virus genomes help protect the world from deadly diseases and future pandemics?; How can a digital map enhance accessibility and tourism in Sachkhere while preserving its history?
Project: Empowering Vision: Touching Lives
Site: City Montessori School, Rajajipuram Campus I, Lucknow (Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh)
Educator: Shweta Awasthi
Essential Question: How can we create affordable Braille technology for equal and inclusive access to reading?
Project: Stride Ease
Site: Gandhi High Vidyalaya (Purulia, West Bengal)
Educator: Sajal Ghosh
Essential Question: How can student-led innovations in mobility transform lives and promote inclusivity in society?
Project: AKURAT: Advanced Kit for Unified pH and Acidity Testing
Site: SMK Negeri 1 Paringin (Balangan, Kalimantan Selatan)
Educator: Suhada Syu
Essential Question: How to address public health issues caused by environmental pollution due to coal mining activities?
Project: AQSU
Site: Nazarbayev Intellectual School (Astana, Aqmola Region)
Educator: Arman Imansharipova
Essential Question: How can we ensure safe and clean drinking water while reducing plastic waste globally?
Project: Mindful Me
Site: iEARN-KENYA / Inoro Girls High School (Nairobi)
Educator: Beldine Atieno
Essential Question: How can we efficiently connect students in need with uniform donors?
Project: Arabic Creators: Empowering Youth to Create Arabic Digital Content
Site: Peace of Art (Ain, Baalbeck-Hermel)
Educator: Vera Al Mawla
Essential Question: How can we create, publish, and share reflective, interactive-accessible Arabic content for students and teachers?
Project: Sparkwise Tech Initiative
Site: Egba Odeda High School (Junior) / Teach for Nigeria, (Abeokuta, Ogun)
Educator: Ebenezer Anyadiegwu
Essential Question: How can repairing, recycling, upcycling and reusing waste promote innovation and sustainability in our community?
Project: STUDENTS RISE: Pads, Peers, and Progress
Site: Empowering Futures Initiatives (Damaturu)
Educator: Adam Ibrahim
Essential Question: How can we sustainability dismantle menstrual stigma and mental health barriers in rural Nigeria?
Project: Ecosmart
Site: Rincón Clubhouse La Chorrera (La Chorrera, Panamá Oeste)
Educator: Vianca Cuevas
Essential Question: How can we transform our consumption and waste management habits to build a more sustainable?
Project: Kinako Crunch
Site: Prince of Peace Integrated School Inc. (Antipolo City, Rizal)
Educator: Alevil Macaisa
Essential Question: How can we create a nutritious snack that supports daily health and emergency preparedness?
Project: InnovateEd: Code & Create
Site: SchoolNet South Africa (Johannesburg)
Educator: Mathapelo Sehume
Essential Question: How can we equip teachers with skills to integrate coding and robotics sustainably in classrooms?
Project: EcoCycle
Site: Les écoles idéales / DotSlash AUPTIMISME (Nabeul)
Educator: Tarek Seghiri
Essential Question: How can we encourage better waste management and recycling through technology?
Project: Recycling Smart
Site: Ataturk MTAL (Ankara)
Educator: Selçuk Yusuf Arslan
Essential Question: How can we use technology to make recycling more efficient and accessible?
Projects: Aquaship feeding the World Port by Port! | Growing Food Underwater: Regenerative Ocean Farming | Replenishing Our Forest with Evapotranspiration
Site: Davis Middle School, Compton Unified School District (Compton, California)
Educator: Jose Gonzalez
Essential Questions: How can we grow food sustainability and maintain our fish populations with zero emissions?; How can we grow food underwater in a sustainable way?; How can Evapotranspiration Toilets be used to help in replenishing our forests and jungles?
Project: Wildfire Alarm System
Site: Innovation International (Saint Augustine, Florida)
Educator: Ricardo Haragutchi
Essential Question: How can we alert users about an incoming wildfire in time to save lives?
Project: Recycle the Runway
Site: Punahou School (Honolulu, Hawaii)
Educator: Yolanda Lau
Essential Question: How can we make lasting behavioral decisions to minimize overconsumption?
Project: Empowering Afghan Women
Site: Afghan Girls Success Gate
Educator: Aman
Essential Question: How can we support education, employment, and personal freedoms?
Project: Water Rangers
Site: Secondary School Dr. Carlos Saavedra Lamas (General Campos, Entre Rios)
Educator: Paola Visnevetzky
Essential Question: Is it possible to reuse rain water to water plants or clean the floor?
Project: Desencadenalo
Site: PUERTA 18 (Buenos Aires)
Educator: Carolina Morán
Essential Question: How to use water, energy, and food sustainably for the future?
Projects: Pollinator Gardens | Slow fashion
Site: Ridgemont High School (Ottawa, Ontario)
Educator: Ryan Smith
Essential Questions: How can we support our school ecosystem?; How do we create sustainable slow fashion while encouraging self expression?
Project: BioPellet360
Site: Institucion Educative Municipal Montessori Sede San Francisco (Pitailto, Huila)
Educator: Ramon Maje Floriano
Essential Question: How does the pelletization of coffee waste contribute to the development of a circular economy?
Project: Save the water!
Site: ZŠ a Montessori MŠ Prachatice (Prachatice)
Educator: Dagmar Kozlová
Essential Question: Why don’t others do it too? Why do people use water unnecessarily?
Project: Paving Green for Sustainable Living
Site: Santamayee Girls High School (Purulia, West Bengal)
Educator: Susmita Roy Chowdhury
Essential Question: How can we save our soil cover and water systems from the damages of concretization?
Projects: Chemical Industry Automation using Industrial IoT based on Concept Industry 4.0 | Re-Gen Drive: Innovative Sensor Integration for Comprehensive Road Safety| Drive Lifeline: Alcohol Detection and Engine Control System
Site: Vikas Bharati Public School (Delhi)
Educator: Anni Kumar
Essential Questions: How can industrial IoT improve safety, efficiency, and sustainability in the chemical industry?
Project: AI Guard: Smart Drug & Alcohol Detection for Safer Schools
Site: Kamla Nehru Public School (Phagwara, Punjab)
Educator: Rajwant Kaur
Essential Question: How can AI-driven technology help create a safer, drug-free environment in schools?
Project: Inclusive Duniya Song Project
Site: The Sarvodya Collective (Gurgaon, Delhi)
Educator: Pooja Sharma
Essential Question: How do we build awareness for and facilitate neuro-inclusion in an engaging manner?
Project: Health care (Eye Camp)
Site: Hippo campus school Rangapur (Rangareddy, Telengana)
Educator: Muskan Habeeba
Essential Question: Why are vision problems common in students at a very young age?
Project: Herbal Green For Sustainable Life and Well-Being
Site: Government Girls Senior Secondary School Indora Kangra (Indora Himachal Pradesh)
Educator: Mohan Sharma
Essential Question: How does understanding herbal plants empower us to live healthier, happier lives connected to nature?
Project: To Stop Human Animal Conflict
Site: Sacred Heart International School (Pammam, Marthandam, Tamil Nadu)
Educator: Chrisbin Jeeva
Essential Question: How can a device safeguard communities and wild animals in conflicts?
Project: Metamorphosis: From Waste to Wonder High School Trash2Art Competition 2025
Site: Charlemont High School (Kingston, Linstead, St. Catherine)
Educator: Nordiea McDonald
Essential Question: How can we transform waste into art that celebrates school pride while promoting environmental awareness?
Project: Rewriting the future: Reducing Paper waste at school and community to protect the environment
Site: Shortandy Secondary School #3 (Shortandy, Aqmola Region)
Educator: Gulim Batyrgaliyeva
Essential Question: How can we reduce paper waste in our school and community to protect the environment?
Project: Automated Weather Prediction System
Site: Kaimosi Girls High School (Kisumu)
Educator: Kimakwa Godfrey
Essential Question: How can we use STEM innovations to create sustainable solutions for environmental and community challenges?
Project: Advancements in Emergency Medical Interventions
Site: Alam Shah Science School (Cheras, Kuala Lumpur)
Educator: Najwa Huda Shaharil
Essential Question: What are the effective methodologies for optimizing the accessibility of rescue breaths in CPR?
Project: Gender rights for education and digital inclusion
Site: Rising Hope Girls Educational Foundation (Kubwa, Abuja Federal Capital Territory)
Educator: Oghogho Ahanor
Essential Question: Nigeria has 10.5 million out-of-school girls; how can her right for education be sustained?
Project: Intellectual Fun Stars
Site: Best Intellectuals Model School (Aba, Abia State)
Educator: Happiness Kalu
Essential Question: What is the best way minors can participate in addressing climate change and other challenges?
Project: DIGITA_ELEVATE
Site: Bramble Learning Space (Ibadan, Oyo)
Educator: Tobiloba Akala
Essential Question: How innovative solutions effectively mitigate and bridge the gap of digital divide in rural communities?
Project: e-Merit
Site: Caleb British International School (Abijo GRA, Lagos)
Educator: Israel Adewuyi
Essential Question: How may we track, document and recognize students’ activities and performance in our community?
Project: PETalFlow
Site: Community High School Ebute Igbooro (Yewa, Ogun State)
Educator: Ibukunoluwa Ajayi
Essential Question: How can we combat climate change as it pertains to food security and learn sustainability?
Project: Plastic Rebirth Community Initiative
Site: Teaching Visual Art (Abeokuta, Ogun State)
Educator: Olusegun Adeniyi
Essential Question: How can we get rid of plastic menace in our communities?
Project: StoryMath: Advancing Sustainable, Tech-Driven Learning For Literacy & Numeracy in the Philippines
Site: South Hill School, Inc. (Laguna)
Educator: Amando Molin
Essential Question: How can sustainable and technology-driven strategies enhance student learning outcomes in the Philippines?
Project: Mental Health Support for Teenage Girls
Site: Everlasting Academy (Kibaha, Pwani)
Educator: Gift Simle
Essential Question: What are the most effective strategies for providing mental health support to teenage girls?
Projects: Fish Alive | Safe haven | Robot vitals 1.0
Site: Creative Child Foundation (Kampala)
Educator: Solomon Bwire
Essential Questions: How might we improve water quality and sustainability in fish farming through innovative filtration systems?; How might we create a smart, automated system that ensures safety and security in buildings?; How might low-cost robotics enhance and speed up medical service delivery in overcrowded hospitals?
Project: WITH YOU; ALL THE WAY
Site: Gayaza Junior School (Wakiso)
Educator: Elizabeth Kemigisha
Essential Question: What can we do to improve the lives of rape and gender-based violence victims?
Project: Climate change knows no boundary
Site: THE JDO Rwabu Resource Center (Mukono Municipality)
Educator: Kakaire Emmanuel
Essential Question: How can we practice the three R’s: reduce, reuse and recycle?
Projects: UPCYCLED FOOD PRODUCTS | LITERACY LIGHT BULB | THE FIGHT AGAINST DRUG ABUSE
Site: Gayaza High School (Kampala)
Educator: John Bakayana
Essential Question: How can we turn discarded food into sustainable, nutritious products to reduce waste?; How far can we go to eradicate global illiteracy?; How as the future generation can we fight against drug abuse?
Project: A Novel New Method of Predicting Stroke Using Small-Scale Spectrophotometry to Quantify Homocysteine as a Molecular Biomarker for Stroke
Site: FCS Innovation Academy (Alpharetta, Georgia)
Educator: Scott Robinson
Essential Question: Why does prevention of disease have such a large research gap in healthcare?
Project: Climate Actions for Our Community
Site: Savanna Oaks Middle School (Fitchburg, Wisconsin)
Educator: Karie Huttner
Essential Question: What actions can I take to impact my community and climate change?
Project: The Band of Steel Total Ocean Awareness Program
Site: MySTEM Academy (Wexford, Pennsylvania)
Educator: Marcel Bergerman
Essential Question: Oceans are critical for human life. How can we protect them to protect ourselves?
Project: What’s the Buzz?
Site: Herman J. Russell West End Academy (Atlanta, Georgia)
Educator: Natasha Neff
Essential Question: How can we creatively capture and share our beekeeping experiences and sustainable agriculture successes?
Project: Passion for Change!
Site: Cedar Ridge High School/Alamance CC (Hillsborough, North Carolina)
Educator: Andrea DeGette
Essential Question: How can ordinary citizens navigate the myriad of challenges that face us?
Project: SRZ’s For Teens- Stress Relief Zones
Site: Central High School (Kansas City, Missouri)
Educator: Sasha Hightower Herron
Essential Question: How can we provide safe spaces and resources to help teens with their mental health?
Project: Harvesting Hope: Cultivating Community Through Gardening
Site: Sylvan Hills Middle School (Atlanta, Georgia)
Educator: Jimmie Lee
Essential Question: How can a school garden foster community collaboration while promoting sustainability and enhancing students’ understanding?
Project: The Governor Cleanup Challenge
Site: Santa Fe BGC Teen Center (Santa Fe, New Mexico)
Educator: Guillermo Garcia
Essential Question: How can teens organize a park cleanup, inspire communities, and expand into a statewide movement?
Projects: Orbit Rack | WYHS App
Site: Whitehall Yearling High School (Whitehall, Ohio)
Educator: Lisa Jones
Essential Questions: How do we give students without transportation a way to get to school on time?; How can we create better school communications between students and the school staff?
Project: Powering Up Learning
Site: Jasper County Middle School (Monticello, Georgia)
Educator: Laura Smith
Essential Question: How can we ensure equitable access to technology by maintaining and repairing essential learning devices?
Projects: Green Team Connect | GWC@MAT Day of Code
Site: McKeel Academy of Technology (Lakeland, Florida)
Educator: Rebecca Stacey
Essential Questions: How can we improve the recycling process in our school environment?; Can learning to code lead to positive changes in our school and surrounding community?
Project: From Food Deserts to Food Sovereignty
Site: Operation Grow Inc (East Orange, New Jersey)
Educator: Sharonda Allen
Essential Question: How can we create a local food system for overburdened communities?
Projects: Digital Media in Yemen: Awareness and Education | Banning Education-A Crime | Educate Your Girls
Site: AMIDEAST-Yemen (Aden)
Educator: Nisha Vasudevan
Essential Questions: Are the Yemeni people using digital media safely?; How educating girls can lead to a civilized society?; Why are some communities in Yemen not educated on the freedom to be educated?
Visit the Ciena Solutions Challenge Project Gallery to learn more about these and other students’ projects.
Register for the Ciena Solutions Challenge Student Panels at the upcoming YouthMADE Festival (May 5-18) to connect live with some of the teams above and to learn more about opportunities to showcase student-led work in your own community.
