Global Nonprofit NFTE Announces Winners of First-Ever 'Imagination League' in World Series of Innovation
Young innovators (ages 5-12) propose solutions to sustainable development goal-focused challenges
New York, NY, Feb. 18, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) — in partnership with Aramco, the Citi Foundation, and MetLife Foundation — proudly announces the winners of the Imagination League of the World Series of Innovation (WSI). Since 2009, NFTE's annual WSI competition has invited young people from around the world to come up with creative solutions addressing real-world issues tied to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
This year marked a significant expansion of WSI, which was offered for the first time to a younger audience of children ages 5-12 through the Imagination League, and in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Arabic, Simplified Chinese, and Hindi, thanks to the generous support of Aramco. The program aimed to inspire the next generation of entrepreneurs to think critically about global challenges and devise innovative solutions.
'Through the World Series of Innovation Imagination League, NFTE provides a platform for our youngest entrepreneurs to showcase their ideas and engage meaningfully with global problems,' said Dr. J.D. LaRock, President & CEO of NFTE. 'As the program continues to grow, I'm excited to see it inspire even more young innovators to consider how their ideas can contribute to a sustainable future for all.'
'We are proud to support WSI and especially the newly expanded Imagination League. This comes as part of our commitment to provide children around the world with greater opportunities to learn and participate through ensuring resource accessibility in multiple languages,' said Hadeel Al-Eisa, Corporate Citizenship Manager at Aramco. 'The talent and creativity of these young innovators is incredible. Their ideas not only reflect their potential but also highlight the importance of fostering a culture of innovation and sustainability from an early age.'
Overall, this year's World Series of Innovation drew a total of 5,112 participants from 82 countries, with 1,161 participating in the Imagination League and competing for the chance to win up to $600 in prizes. Each challenge is linked to a specific SDG, encouraging participants to think critically about pressing global issues:
Harlyn Bowns & Becca Dean from Randall Middle School in Florida won the Aramco Clean Water Challenge with their idea CWW, a long filtration pipeline that can stretch for miles to filter out harmful germs in contaminated water.
Michal Lucian Prenoveau and Avi Dhillon from Hillsborough County Public Schools in Florida won the Citi Foundation Youth Economic Advancement Challenge with their idea Stock Up on Jobz, an app designed for kids who want to explore additional ways to earn money within their community.
Myra Saxena from H erbert Hoover Elementary School in California won the MetLife Foundation Good Health and Well-Being Challenge with her idea Healthy Littles, a convenient platform for children with diabetes to research healthy habits, discover diabetes-friendly recipes, and log their food intake.
The winners of the World Series of Innovation Impact League (ages 13-24) will be announced on April 14, 2025.
Learn more about the NFTE WSI innovation challenges, the sponsoring organizations, and the prizes being offered at innovation.nfte.com. Find out more about the winning entries at innovation.nfte.com/results.
For media inquiries, please contact NFTE National Communications Director Denise Berkhalter, APR, 917-281-4362, at [email protected].
Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship (NFTE) ignites the entrepreneurial mindset with unique learning experiences that empower students to own their futures. A global nonprofit founded in 1987, NFTE provides high-quality entrepreneurship education to middle school, high school, and postsecondary students. NFTE brings the power of entrepreneurship to students, regardless of family income, community resources, special needs, gender identity, race, or ethnicity. NFTE has educated more than a million students, delivering our programs in school, out of school, in-person, online, or through hybrid models. Visit nfte.com to learn more.
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