The Green Heart STEM Challenge is a purpose-driven STEM challenge where young people explore and identify environmental issues in their communities and design feasible solutions to address these problems. Student teams work through a human-centered design process to develop feasible solutions to the problems they have identified. Challenge submissions are delivered with a 90 second pitch video and a written proposal.

The Challenge extends over the months of January–April, and is open to teams of 3-5 students (6th-8th grade) in specific metropolitan areas. The 2027 Green Heart STEM Challenge is focused on FIRE (Renewable Energy, Sustainable Power Sources, Reduced Reliance on Fossil Fuels). This year, we have a special geographic focus within metro-Atlanta, metro-Houston, metro-Miami, and metro-San Francisco. We invite educators in these cities to join us for upcoming information and teacher training sessions!

Finalist Teams are invited to the Green Heart STEM Challenge Finale, a high-energy, celebratory pitch event. Top teams pitch their solution ideas to a panel of expert judges (think Shark Tank), connect with peers across the metro-area, and learn about different community solutions.

Winning teams are then invited to participate in the Idea Incubator powered by Accenture. This workshop gives teams the tools and professional adult consulting needed to qualify for the Implementation Grant—  Up to $1,000 in grant funding to put students’ ideas into ACTION within 3-6 months.