BLOG
The Latest Barron Prize NewsCongratulations to Our 2021 Winners and Honorees!
They’re an exceptional and inspiring group of 25 young leaders who are changing the world in creative ways. Some are growing produce and distributing excess food to address hunger. Others are inventing technologies to help kids with disabilities. A number of them are protecting our oceans and waterways, combatting climate change, and helping reduce plastic pollution. All are using their passions and huge hearts, along with courage and determination, to make a meaningful difference.
We’re delighted to honor them and so proud to welcome them to our Barron Prize family!
Abby Yoon, age 17, of North Carolina, who founded the Sustainable Hunger Initiative to help underserved families access healthy food and to address residential segregation and poverty.
Adarsh Ambati, age 16, of California, who created The Green Environment Initiatives to design solutions for environmental crises and to provide STEM education for underserved students.
Alexandra Collins, age 17, of Illinois, who co-founded Students Against Ethylene Oxide (SAEtO), a nonprofit that engages youth in fighting to ban the carcinogenic gas EtO near schools and residential areas.
Brooke and Breanna Bennett, age 14, of Alabama, who co-founded Women In Training, Inc., a youth empowerment nonprofit that advocates for menstrual equity and menstrual education.
Abby Yoon with one of her local partners and food distribution sites, the First Born Community Development Center.
Faraz Tamboli, age 14, of New Jersey, who invented TalkMotion, a device that helps people who are deaf and aphonic (voiceless) communicate with people who can hear.
Gitanjali Rao, age 15, of Colorado, an inventor, young scientist, and advocate for STEM who conducts workshops for students around the world to support them in creating solutions to pressing problems.
Jordan Reeves, age 15, of Missouri, who co-founded Born Just Right (newly named Design With Us), a nonprofit that inspires kids with disabilities to design innovations based on their own differences and experiences.
Michael Platt, age 16, of Maryland, who created Michael’s Desserts to use his love of baking to help others. He donates sweet treats to those in need and holds bake sales to raise funds for organizations that address food insecurity.
Miles Fetherston-Resch, age 9, of Florida, who founded Kids Saving Oceans to fundraise for ocean, beach, and marine conservation and to educate kids about saving our oceans, one choice at a time.
Miles Fetherston-Resch cleaning up a Florida beach
Rachel Park, age 18, of California, who founded Curieus, a nonprofit that brings hands-on science to underserved kids to spark curiosity and increase diversity in STEM.
Shreyas Kar, age 16, of Kentucky, who created Community AI (Artificial Intelligence) to support students in building AI-driven projects that help communities and the environment, unleashing the power of AI for good.
Sonja Michaluk, age 17, of New Jersey, who works passionately to protect wetlands and drinking water sources using a novel bioassessment method she created.
Vivian Wang, age 18, of California, who co-founded Linens N Love, a nonprofit that rescues gently-used hotel linens and donates them to shelters that support women and children, people experiencing homelessness, veterans, and animals.
Chloe Mei Espinosa, age 15, of California, who created Skip the Plastic Straw to raise awareness of the harmful effects of single-use plastic straws and to discourage their use.
Ella Galaski-Rossen, age 11, of Ontario, Canada, and Cash Daniels, age 11, of Tennessee, who created The Cleanup Kids to educate children about the environment and inspire them to help protect it.
Ellie Zimmerman, age 18, of New York, who founded Interns 4-Good to connect tech-savvy teens with nonprofits in need of their skills.
Evan Nied, age 17, of Virginia, who founded Planting Shade, a nonprofit that works to increase the planting and growth of trees worldwide.
Jordan Phillips, age 17, of South Dakota, who sews and sells coffee cup sleeves through her Cozys for the Cure initiative. She has donated more than $120,000 to help fund breast cancer treatment and research.
Chloe Mei Espinosa, founder of Skip the Plastic Straw, with alternative straws.
Levi Grimm, age 18, of Ohio, who is the acting director of JEE Foods, a student-led nonprofit that reduces food waste and fights hunger by collecting excess food and donating it to those in need.
Sarah Goody, age 16, of California, who founded Climate NOW, a youth-led organization that empowers young people to use their voices in speaking up for climate justice.
Sascha Pakravan, age 16, of Hawaii, who founded Words4 to promote educational equity and to provide reading resources that are accessible to all Hawaiians.
Shayen Patel, age 17, of California, who founded Alley-Oop Kids to provide athletic equipment and positive sports experiences to underserved youth.