THE 2026 AWARD RECIPIENTS
Meet the inspiring young leaders who are igniting the spark of change and leveraging their passion and creativity to address the planet’s most pressing environmental challenges.
Learn more about the 2026 award recipients, explore a StoryMap showcasing the global impact of young changemakers, and cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award.
watch the celbration event
The Slingshot Challenge:
We believe that no problem is unsolvable and that great ideas come from ALL places. Our community of 13–18 year olds rose to the challenge and created 1-minute videos describing their ideas for solving environmental issues. We believe that, together, our ideas can lead to taking action to protect our planet and improve our future.
Want to stay updated on the next Slingshot Challenge? Sign up below!
Meet Past Award Recipients
Slingshot Community
Meet some of last year’s award recipients and watch their submissions.
Follow the Slingshot Challenge on TikTok @natgeoslingshot | Questions? slingshot@ngs.org
Slingshot Challenge is supported by the National Geographic Society and Allen Family Philanthropies.
Photo credits (from top of page): Mark Thiessen