Beaming faces: Youth Sustainability Awards pronounced

Vertical gardens, used cooking oil collection or sediment monitoring –  the approaches of the young people were diverse. Now their spirit of research and their commitment has been rewarded. For the second time, the THI awarded the Youth Sustainability Prize. After a keynote speech by Holger Hoppe, Professor of Sustainability and Environmental Management, the pitches of the three team award finalists started.

During these short presentations, the participants once again had the opportunity to convince the audience and the jury of their concepts. The first of these was the Knabenrealschule Rebdorf from Eichstätt. Together with the Lesch company, they had set up a used cooking oil collection point in their school. With a pointed role play, the young people conveyed the key points of their project and won over the audience with humor and competence. Max Lauterbach and Simon Zitzmann from Compact Greens then gave a presentation. The students from the Marie Therese Gymnasium in Erlangen developed a prototype of an autonomous vertical garden made of recycled materials on their initiative - and won through with their profound knowledge and palpable enthusiasm for the cause. The third pitch was contested by the online environmental group of the Johann-Simon-Mayr-Realschule Riedenburg with their "Tausch und Tingle" (Swap and Tingle) locker, which aims to put used and surplus school materials back into circulation.

Next, the individual prize for sustainable material made from orange peels was awarded to Justus Prüschenk from Pegnitz, and Leonie Prillwitz from Friedberg received the audience award for her sediment monitoring. The sustainability working group of the Katharinen-Gymnasium in Ingolstadt was honored with a special prize for its commitment. Next year, the THI will again award youth sustainability prizes.

The award winners at a glance:

Category "Team"

1. Compact Greens, Erlangen (1.500 €, donated by Hipp GmbH)
2. Every drop counts – Collection of used cooking fats, Knabenrealschule Rebdorf, Eichstätt (1.000 €, donated by IFG Ingolstadt)
3. „Swap and Tingle" locker, Environment Group, Johann-Simon-Mayr-School, Riedenburg (500 €, donated by IRMA)

Category „Individual“

1. Sustainable material, Justus Prüschenk, Pegnitz (1.000 €, donated by inas)
2. Sediment monitoring: effects of fine sediment on brook trout spawning development, Leonie Prillwitz, Friedberg (500 €, donated by inas)
3. Eco-friendly ink eraser pen, Anna-Lena Liebhard, Baar-Ebenhausen (250 €, donated by inas)

Audience Award

Sediment monitoring: effects of fine sediment on brook trout spawning development, Leonie Prillwitz, Friedberg (500€, donated by Stadtwerke Ingolstadt)

Special Award Commitment

Sustainability working group, Katharinen-Gymnasium Ingolstadt (Fair-o-mat, donated by Stadt Ingolstadt)