
Annual Report 2025
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“Before [participating in CPF projects], I didn’t see myself as someone who could be that involved or have that kind of impact. Now I know that with the right resources and guidance, I can make change.”
– Maximo, Green Heart STEM Challenge participant
Message from the CEO

Dear Friends,
As we reflect on the past year, we do so with deep gratitude and momentum Captain Planet Foundation directly engaged more than 40,000 young people across CPF programs worldwide — a record number of young people—at a moment when climate and environmental challenges demand bold and authentic investment in youth-centered leadership and action We also marked meaningful progress across our global network as our first class of Planeteer Alliance Regional Leaders in Canada, Ecuador, The Gambia, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, and the U S joined the team— creating a culminating step for young leaders who climb our Ladder of Engagement.
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2025 was the year of WIND, which for CPF represents the circular economy-rethinking how we define waste and build systems where reducing, repairing, and reusing become the norm. At the same time, our Planeteers and programs continued to engage across the other elements-EARTH, WATER, FIRE, and HEART-recognizing that environmental challenges are interconnected and require integrated, systems-level solutions.
We launched the Project Learning Garden teacher certification, expanding professional pathways for educators and strengthening these onsite learning laboratories in the 785+ elementary schools we serve across the U.S.
In Atlanta and Houston, 1,000+ middle schoolers participated in the Green Heart STEM Challenge and developed innovative solutions to address single-use plastics, fast fashion, and electronic waste; with three (3) winning teams receiving mentorship & implementation grants to bring their projects to life.
Through the Planeteer Alliance, young leaders convened 22 WIND Summits and 60+ other action-related events across 11 countries. As a follow up to a UN Environment Programme grant, the CPF regional team hosted a six-month plastic policy intensive with 50+ youth across Ghana and The Gambia, culminating in policy recommendations being presented to their respective Ministries of Environment.
In parallel, we launched our 2025–2027 Strategic Plan, aligning our work around long-term impact, sustainability, and equity.
We are thankful for our staff, board, funders, partners, and supporters who all believe in the critical importance of youth leaders creating a climate-positive future for all. And we are especially grateful to our outgoing Board co-Chairs, George McKerrow and Randy Rudderman, for their steadfast leadership; and to our incoming co-Chairs, Christine Boucher and Maury Wolfe, for picking up the mantle.
As we look to 2026, we remain committed to meeting this moment with optimism, justice, and action— because the power is, and always has been, yours.
Leesa Carter-Jones
President & CEO


Project Learning Garden
AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROGRAM

Every Garden Is A Classroom
We believe it is ESSENTIAL for every school to have an on-site learning laboratory where ideas learned in the classroom come alive in the real world. From an early age, Project Learning Garden teaches students to grow food, develop a palate for healthy fruits & vegetables, build crucial interpersonal skills, and establish a strong ethic of community engagement.
In 2025, we introduced a teacher certification program with an inaugural cohort of 55 educators certified as “Gardeneers”. This additional layer of support expands opportunities for teacher and student engagement and deepens the impact of the program over its life in a school.
“We had tremendous interest in our ‘Get2Green Team’ this year after installing the new garden, with nearly 40 students signing up!” – Linda, Teacher, Crossfield Elementary, Virginia
“Our school received the mobile cooking cart, and I am super excited to have this available for classroom use.”- Darlene, Teacher, Great River School, Minnesota
“It is a great offering to provide development courses for each level of PLG Educator Certification. Thank you!” – Janie, Teacher, Grande Innovation Academy, Arizona
2012-2025 Overall Program Impact
47 Project Learning Garden™ Grants in 12 states

“Thank you! Your input and support helps us make the garden a better place for all students!”- Julie, Bright Beginnings Learning Center, New Jersey

- Arizona
- California
- Georgia
- Indiana
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Nevada
- New York
- Tennesee
- Texas
- Virginia
Funded By
Bashas’, Coca-Cola, Cox Enterprises, Delta Air Lines, Dematic, Georgia Natural Gas, KFC Foundation, Live Thrive, Publix Charities, Raley’s Supermarkets, and the Ruffwood Foundation
Project Learning Garden™ 2025 By the numbers
Volunteer Events
Gardeneers
Submissions for CNN’s
Call to Earth Day

Green Heart STEM Challenge
A MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM

Centering STEM in Environmental Education!
The Green Heart STEM Challenge is an annual activation that empowers middle school teams to explore and identify environmental challenges in their communities and to design and implement feasible solutions. Students advance through a competitive process, with ten finalist teams in each metro area pitching their ideas to a panel of judges. Winning teams participate in an Idea Incubator where they work with Accenture consultants to put their ideas into ACTION by refining budgets, building project timelines, and earning implementation grants.
In 2025, more than 1,000+ students across metro-Atlanta and metro-Houston explored environmental challenges connected to WIND (circular economy), with a special focus on electronic waste, food waste, fast fashion, and single-use plastics.
“It was very rewarding to see how excited and empowered the students felt having their ideas taken seriously and knowing that professionals (both from Captain Planet & the community) believed in them. It made all the difference.”
– Candice, Accenture Consultant
“One highlight was seeing our students confidently present their fashion exhibit idea and connect it to a real-world issue like fast fashion. Their excitement, teamwork, and ability to speak with purpose showed just how much they had grown during the Idea Incubator experience. It was a proud and powerful moment.”
– Mr. Meade, Teacher, Clear Creek Intermediate School
2023-2025 Overall Program Impact
Environmental STEM
Solutions

2025 by the numbers Focus Markets: Metro Atlanta & Metro Houston
Green Heart STEM Challenge Participants
Attended Idea Incubator
Submitted
Grants Distributed

Planeteer Alliance
A DIRECT TO YOUTH PROGRAM (AGES 10-25)

Activating Global Youth For Climate Action
The Planeteer Alliance continues to ignite youth led climate action worldwide, empowering young changemakers to confront the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. These global changemakers (ages 10-25) are: Passing environmental policies at the local, regional, and national levels; Holding governments accountable to enforce policies; Shifting supply chains within corporations, school districts, and campuses; Operating large-scale awareness & education campaigns; and leading peer-training Summits across the globe, and more!
In 2025, Planteers hosted 94 events across the globe where they recruited and trained over 2,500 of their peers. In addition, CPF hired seven (7) young people—who came through the program—as Regional Coordinators in: Canada (Toronto), Central/South America (Ecuador), East Africa (Kenya), Mexico (La Paz), United States (Minnesota), West Africa-North (The Gambia), and West Africa-South (Nigeria).
“We are connecting different backgrounds, cultures, and countries. We are like a family.”
– Herve Himbaza, Wisdom Council, Rwanda
2022-2025 Overall Program Impact
Ladder of Engagement
The Ladder of Engagement is the Planeteer Alliance’s roadmap for tracking progress as a Planeteer. As a Planeteer climbs the ladder, they unlock new titles and badges, gain access to courses and resources, and become eligible for grant funding.

PLANETEER
Actions: Apply to join Planeteer Alliance via Planeteer HQ.
Kickstart your climate training with global connections, tools, and resources.
Rewards: Access to training & certifications • Connect through Planeteer HQ community • Attend live virtual events

RISING LEADER
Actions: Complete Bootcamp training and submit Bootcamp Organizer • Complete all Planeteer Journeys & submit your Knowledge Check
Emerge as a leader with foundational training and a proven commitment to climate action.
Rewards: Receive certificate in Climate Awareness & Campaign Strategy • Access to exclusive trainings • Eligible to apply for grant funding

CAPTAIN
Actions: Host a Meetup or PA sponsored event and submit report
Grow as a leader by hosting small solutions-based events in your community.
Rewards: Mentorship with Team Planet • Eligible to apply for Summit Host • Eligible to apply for Campaign Leader

SUMMIT HOST
Actions: Host and report on at least TWO (2) Meetups or PA Sponsored events • Host a Planeteer Alliance Summit and submit report
Organize a large-scale, impactful event as part of our annual Summit series.
Rewards: Invite to exclusive events & trainings • Eligible to apply for a Leadership Grant travel scholarship • Personalized letters of recommendation upon request • Eligible to apply for the Wisdom Council • Access to training & certifications

CAMPAIGN LEADER
Actions: Host and report on at least TWO (2) Meetups or PA Sponsored events • Execute and report on a Season of Solutions campaign
Lead a funded, solutions-based climate campaign in your community.
Rewards: Invite to exclusive events & trainings • Eligible to apply for a Leadership Grant travel scholarship • Personalized letters of recommendation upon request • Eligible to apply for the Wisdom Council • Access to training & certifications

WISDOM COUNCIL
Actions: Reach Summit Host or Campaign Leader status • Apply to be on Wisdom Council and be accepted
Serve on the youth advisory committee for Planeteer Alliance.
Rewards: Provide guidance for the Planeteer Alliance program • Lead training for fellow Planeteers • Eligible to apply for Leadership Grant travel scholarship • Access to elite opportunities, grants, and recommendation letters • May be selected to represent CPF at global conferences
Ladder of Engagement Levels

PLANETEER LEVEL
When young people decide to become an active participant in designing the world they wish to live in, they join the Planeteer Alliance and begin climbing the Ladder of Engagement to learn the skills, access the resources, and build the community they need to be successful at shifting the systems that can create a climate-positive future for all.
In 2025, 700+ new users joined Planeteer HQ.

RISING LEADER LEVEL
The second step on the Ladder is to level-set their knowledge by completing the Planeteer Alliance Bootcamp Course and earning their Certificate in Climate Awareness & Campaign Strategy.
In 2025, 123 young people earned their Certificate

CAPTAIN LEVEL
Each quarter, young Planeteer leaders take their third step on the Ladder by hosting a small scale event focusing on one element: EARTH (Q1), WATER (Q2), FIRE (Q3), or WIND (Q4). These events teach them the fundamentals of organizing such as: budgeting, marketing, recruiting, communications, and agenda building.
In 2025, Planeteers hosted 62 Meetups in 9 countries, where they trained 855 peers. In 2025, 700+ new users joined Planeteer HQ.


SUMMIT HOSTS AND/OR CAMPAIGN LEADER LEVEL
On their fourth step, Planeteers can opt to either host a large-scale summer Summit or they can submit a plan & budget for a Season of Solutions Campaign.
At this step on the ladder, they become eligible for travel scholarship grants and CPF passes to attend global and regional climate conferences. This ensures their voices can be heard and centered in decision-making rooms and they can build their business network as they move into work in the green economy.
See the pages below for highlights from youth impact at this level.
2025 Wind Summit Hosts
The Planeteer Alliance WIND Summits: Circular Solutions for a Sustainable Tomorrow brought together 1,340 young people from 11 countries across four continents to advance a vision of a world and economy rooted in reclaiming, repairing, restoring, reusing, recycling, and replenishing our planet.
With support from the Laura Turner Seydel Living Legacy Fund, 22 WIND Summit Host Teams received nearly $40,000 in grants to offer expert-led sessions, workshops, community organizing training to youth participants around the globe.

Rwanda, The Gambia, USA
2025 Season of Solutions


2025 SEASON OF SOLUTIONS GRANTEES
Nearly $18,000 was deployed to support eight (8) youth-led climate action projects that impacted over 10,000 worldwide. These community-driven initiatives addressed critical environmental challenges, including waste management infrastructure, access to clean energy, reforestation, sustainable transportation, and indigenous conservation education. Together, these efforts empowered communities, created economic opportunities and laid the groundwork for scalable, locally-owned climate solutions and businesses.
4 Countries
8 Campaigns
$17,600+

1. Earth Care Alliance, Kigali, Rwanda
Herve and his team designed a campaign to heal the land and empower the people who depend on it. More than 100 community members were taught sustainable land management, introduced to terracing to fight soil erosion, and planted fruit trees.

2. Farato Clean Energy, Generation Project , Farato, The Gambia
Sanna and his team created a fully-functioning clean energy demonstration site where residents of Farato can see solar energy in action, ask questions, and imagine what’s possible for their own homes.

3. E Town for E Bikes, Eldoret, Kenya
Shem and his team built three electric bicycles and acquired an electric motorbike, laying the foundation for an e-mobility and affordable delivery and taxi service, supporting local businesses, farmers, and individuals.

4. Go Solar! Stopping Fossil Fuels
La Fortaleza, Brazil Maria and her team hosted educational sessions on solar energy, a hands-on solar workshop, clean-up events that doubled as awareness engagements, community meetings promoting sustainability and shared action.

5. Lake Victoria Restoration & Action Kisumu, Kenya
Claudius and his team formalized recycling initiatives and created youth-led waste businesses to solve the plastic pollution crisis on Lake Victoria’s shores and waters.

6. Project Kuwinda Kuwinda, Kenya
In the informal settlement of Kuwinda, on the outskirts of Nairobi, 5,000 residents have lived for years without access to a waste management system. Natalie partnered with local organizations—including Mviringo Africa and the Kibarazani Youth Group—to introduce practical, community-led solutions to waste management that could sustain themselves.

7. Rafiki Conservation Center
Maasai Mara, Kenya
Ipato saw that younger generations
have had fewer opportunities to learn about the deep conservation knowledge embedded in Maasai culture. Traditional stories, values, and practices that once guided sustainable living were at risk of being lost. The Rafiki Conservation Center is now a fully functioning space where Maasai youth can engage with elders, explore traditional conservation practices, and tell their own stories about what it means to care for the land and wildlife today.

8. Reforestation & Forest, Health in the Gambia, The Gambia
Sait Jallow led a powerful local project focused on reforestation and forest health. Through community education sessions and tree planting exercises, the campaign reached young community members who wanted to learn morean d take action. Participants learned not only how to plant trees, but why it matters.
2025 Global Conference Attendance
In 2025, Planeteer Alliance made a direct and intentional investment in youth leadership by funding youth representation across five high-level regional and global conferences. This support ensured that young people from across Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean were not only present, but empowered to represent Planeteer Alliance and elevate youth voices on global decision-making stages. By removing financial barriers, Planeteer Alliance enabled these young leaders to bring lived experience, regional perspectives, and youth-driven solutions into critical conversations on climate, policy, and global development—demonstrating a clear commitment to meaningful youth participation beyond symbolism.

Renson Nyongesa (Kenya) attended the Pan African Universities Debate Championships in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Maria Victória Pessoa (Brazil), Dejea Lyons (Cayman Islands), and María Fernanda Buenaventure (Mexico) and Becca Bullen, Planeteer Alliance Program Manager attended COP30 in Belem, Brazil

Bocarr Sowe (The Gambia) attended the West Africa Youth Impact Summit held in Banjul, Gambia.

Julius Dady Kirungi (Rwanda) attended the Africa Climate Summit 2 (ACS2) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Zara Hawkins (United Kingdom), Ashton Hawkins (United Kingdom), Dejea Lyons (Cayman Islands), and Diego Arreola Fernandez (Mexico) attended the INC 5.5/2 in Geneva, Switzerland.
“The most encouraging part of ACS2 was witnessing youth leadership in action. Seeing young people take charge of climate projects reminded me why Planeteer Alliance exists– to empower youth to turn their ideas into real solutions.” – Julius Dady Kirungi, Wisdom Council, Rwanda
Wisdom Council Level
Serving as Captain Planet Foundation’s official youth advisory committee, the Wisdom Council represents the highest level of achievement within the Planeteer Alliance. Composed of 10-20 diverse and highly engaged community members, the Wisdom Council provides ongoing insight and guidance to shape pathways within Planeteer Alliance, helping to build a more connected, cohesive, and truly unified global network of Planeteers.
In 2025, its 15 leaders facilitated the virtual trainings for WIND Summit Hosts, modeled meaningful engagement on the PlaneteerHQ platform, and led the planning, marketing, and research for their own virtual convening, AI and The Environment: Harnessing Potential, Navigating Pitfalls.
“In 2025, the Wisdom Council influenced youth-led initiatives, mentored Planeteers and supported impactful campaigns through guided planning and execution efforts. Overall, the Wisdom Council empowers young climate leaders, amplifies their voices within the Alliance and ensures that Planeteer activities remain relevant, inclusive and action-driven.” – Oluwatoke Faeji, Wisdom Council, Nigeria
Other 2025 Highlights from Planeteers around the Globe

UNEP PLASTIC POLICY 6-MONTH INTENSIVE PROGRAM
Building on the UNEP-funded Plastic Policy Training offered at the end of 2024, Captain Planet Foundation launched a six month Tide Turners Plastic Policy Cohort to support 37 youth leaders in Ghana and The Gambia who joined for monthly virtual training sessions led by regional experts and CPF staff. Sessions covered policy fundamentals, power mapping, the UN Global Plastics Treaty, campaign tactics, and effective pitching. The cohort culminated in a Policy Pitch Symposium, where participants presented their policy recommendations to professionals and stakeholders working in the environmental and policy fields.
Drawing on feedback received during the symposium, youth leaders from The Gambia met with their Ministry of Environment in Fall 2025 to deliver formal, youth-led policy recommendations to their government—marking a critical step in translating training and advocacy into real-world policy action. The Ghana policy cohort will submit their recommendations in Summer 2026.

PLANETEER CLUBS
In the past year, the program supported 14 Planeteer Alliance Clubs across six countries—Bangladesh, Canada, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, and Zambia. With a direct investment of $8,000, these clubs were equipped to implement projects, host events, and expand their impact within their communities, extending Planeteer Alliance’s Global reach while keeping youth voices, knowledge, and solutions at the center of environmental action.

iALUMBRA LA PAZ, MEXICO CLUBS
Planeteer Alliance partnered with iAlumbra Foundation and its network of NGOs to expand youth-led environmental action in La Paz, Mexico Through this collaboration, four Planeteer Clubs were launched with local organizations—Ándale La Paz, Ecology Project International, EcoXipe, and Raíz de Fondo— creating new hubs for environmental education, leadership and community engagement In June 2025, Planeteer Alliance conducted four Bootcamp trainings and a WATER Meetup WATER Meetup that brought youth and community members together to discuss local water challenges and explore solutions specific to La Paz.
Building on this momentum, youth leaders organized and hosted a WIND Summit in July 2025 as part of the 2025 WIND Summit Series convening 38 youth participants for hands-on workshops, expert speakers, and interactive activities focused on circularity and the urgent need to reduce plastic waste.
Youth in La Paz have remained actively engaged in Planeteer Alliance programming, continuing to host community Meetups and lead local environmental initiatives. In November 2025, this partnership reached a global stage when Becca Bullen, Program Manager, and Natalia Moragrega, Regional Coordinator for Mexico, traveled with a youth representative from a La Paz club to COP30 in Belém, Brazil, amplifying youth voices from Latin America in international climate conversations reinforcing the program’s local-to-global impact.

Captain Planet Collective
In 2025, the Planeteer Alliance Program began planning and development for a new initiative launching in January 2026: the Captain Planet Collective, a Green Economy Workforce Development Program powered by Accenture. Designed for young people seeking careers that support both their futures and the health of the planet, this five-month program will serve emerging professionals ages 18–25 from the United States, Canada, and Latin America.

CNN Call To Earth Day
CNN International called on the Planeteer community to help lead the way for “Guard Your Green Space,” November 17, 2025. Planeteers across the world expressed how they care for and protect their cherished green spaces in their community through micro-grants powered by Planeteer Alliance.
21 Locations
7 Countries
310 Participants

Our Financials
How we Spend our Dollars
Captain Planet Foundation prides itself on efficient spending to maximize investment in support of our mission – working collaboratively to engage and empower young people to be problem solvers for the planet. In addition to grant dollars and donations, we receive generous in-kind support, including rent, contract services, and other goods and services from several organizations. Including these in-kind donations in our functional spending, 73 cents of every dollar raised goes directly into the programmatic work of the organization.

Captain Planet Foundation: 27% Fundraising & Administrative, 73% Programs.
How we Invest
CPF’s operating programs provide direct service to both educators (Project Learning Garden & Green Heart STEM Challenge) AND youth (Planeteer Alliance) Across these three programs, the organization advances the role of environmental education while spotlighting and funding exemplary, replicable, solution-based projects designed by young people across the globe.
TO THAT END, CPF HAS SPENT THE LAST DECADE:
- Taking the best ideas to scale through the development of outdoor living laboratories as instructional spaces and lessons in our Project Learning Garden program.
- Investing in the incubation of equity-driven environmental projects, designed by young people, that result in measurable benefits to local natural systems and communities through our Green Heart STEM Challenge.
- Investing in the training, mentoring, and amplification of activated young people who are working to redesign systems for a climate-positive future for all through our Planeteer Alliance.
Our People
Our Visionaries












Our Guardians




Susan J. Klein
Eunjae Kim &
Arturo Peralta-Ramos
Charitable Trust

Miranda & Brett
Tollman

Our Heroes

Pamela Atkins

Liz Blake
Emma Cecil &
Bilal Malik
Wendy & Peter Corry

Mimi & KC Decker

Kiki Goshay
Kathy Kellogg
Johnson
Ginair & George
McKerrow
Janice Overbeck & Nick Seidell
Cat & Parrish Owens
Jennifer & Randy Rudderman
Laura Turner Seydel
Pat Mitchell & Scott Seydel




Melody Wilder-
Wilson
Danny Yates
Our Friends
Seth Adams
Yang Adija
Ray C. Anderson Foundation
Chantal & Tommy Bagwell
Maggie Baird
Josh Bearden & April Milliken
Scott Bermingham
Janelle & Daniel Blackman
Mindy Boggs
Tami Boyd
Melanie Bradford
Tinika Brijilal
Leah Brite
Christine Brouthers
Gay Browne
Chris Buchholz
Margaret McCallister Buchholz
Gerald Buncum
CAF America / General Mills
Elise Carbonara
Tammy Carlisle
Lisa Rayner Catherall
Joanna Chavez
Salvador Chavez-Holzmann
Susana Chavez
Jen Choi
Juliet & Jeffrey Cohen
Nicole & Adam Cohn
Ann Colley
Jillian & John Cooke
Shayla Cottle
Cynthia Curry
Madison Dailey & Abu Malik
Sarah & Nick Darby
Mimi & KC Decker
Neesha & Ash Desai
Hari Dommaraju
Elizabeth Dupree-Lynch
Jodi Eppler
Lauren & Nathan Farnau
David Fergemann
Tim Finley
Kerry Flading
Howard Franklin
Bailey Garrot & David Paull
Georgia Aquarium Foundation
Jamaine Glover
Jonathan Goldberg
Valerie & Chris Greer
Jack Grella
Deborah Schwartz Griffin
Steve Gross
Ruhana Hafiz
Lauren & Zac Harrison
Tiffany Harrison
Lindsey Hauler
Charlette & Paul Howell
Sue Hrib
Kiley Hughes
Deborah & Colin Ingersoll
Jamar Jeffers
Micheal Johnson
Chris Kriz
Heather Laird & Dan Woods
Bill Lamonte
Joel Langdon
Sally Larsen
Stacey & Don Leeburn III
Gabby Leeds
Sandra Leyva
Sylvia Leyva
Dejea Lyons & Ethan McCallister
Deann & Jade McBride
Teresa Miller
Careshia & Lamar Moore
Jill Peterson Muir
Charles Orgbon, III
Caroline Paterson
Laurie & John Poelking
Qaadirah Abdur Rahim
Dr. Christina Rahm & Clayton Thomas
Annemarie Reagan
Laguna Ross
Osama Senousi
Mildred & Paul B Seydel Foundation
Savannah & John R Seydel
Rafat Shaikh
Brad Simpson
Maceo Sloan
Brie Smith
Jennifer & David Song
Quinton Stephens
Jessica & Matthew Upchurch
V-Day
Susan & Stephen Van Liere
Amit & Jenna Vyas
Matthew Walker
David Walmsley
Longshaoakan Wang
Maury & Ed Wolfe
Ed Wood
Karan Wood
Lynn & Gadson Woodall
2025 Annual Report
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The Power is Yours!



























































