Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, an award that honors inspiring youth across the U.S. and Canada, celebrated many young conservationists on Earth Day this week. Established in 2001, the Barron Prize has honored outstanding young leaders ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people or the environment. These young heroes remind us that each of us has the power to be a steward of this Earth, whether by reducing waste, supporting wildlife, or simply sharing our love of nature with others.
The 2026 honorees include:
* Anisha Dhoot designed a machine learning-based platform to support sustainable agriculture and help mitigate climate change.
* Asa Miller created ¡Viva el Vivero!, an international campaign to help communities in Cuba restore their country’s stunning coral reefs. His documentary has won awards at film festivals across the world.
* Carter Medved started three youth-led initiatives to make sustainability accessible, actionable, and community-driven. His initiatives have guided more than 100,000 people in taking steps to reduce emissions and volunteer with climate solutions.
* Cynthia Zhang founded “Monarchs Matter” to combat biodiversity loss and climate change through the protection of monarch butterflies.
* Alaina Zhang created “Harvesting Change” to explore native seaweed’s potential to reduce nitrogen pollution along Rhode Island’s coast. Her research demonstrates that sugar kelp farming could significantly reduce coastal nitrogen overload that threatens marine life.
*Ethan Hua founded the H.O.P.E. (Help Our Planet Earth) school uniform recycling program to reduce textile waste in his California community while alleviating financial strain on families.
* Gia Providente is helping protect endangered diamondback terrapins in her community in Long Island, New York through awareness signs in her town’s bayfront parks. The signs feature her turtle artwork and slogan, “Go Slow, Terrapins Below,” since the turtles were regularly killed by cars and boat strikes.
* Nicolina Pappas founded the nonprofit “Nicolina’s Turtle Co.”, to minimize single-use plastics and educating others about the importance of conservation. She has developed a far-reaching Skip the Plastic campaign.
* Srihan Sankepalle has developed a low-cost, effective, and scalable system to remove micro plastics from rivers, lakes and coastlines. His chemically triggered, titanium dioxide-coated foam system captures and quickly degrades microplastics through the use of UV light.
For more information about the Barron Prize visit: www.barronprize.org
2026 Minoru Yasui Student Contest
The Minoru Yasui Student Contest for middle and high school students is an art contest for youth in grades 5th-12th. The 2026 Theme was:
Upholding the Rule of Law: What does seeking justice for all look like?
We are living in unprecedented times today, where the Constitution is being challenged, rule of law is being upended, and companies, universities, immigrants and other marginalized people are being demonized. If Minoru Yasui were alive today, what hopeful actions would he take for democracy, civil rights, and social justice? The 2026 winners in the two divisions have been announced:
Senior Division, First Place Winner: Katharine Abbott, grade 11, Washington.
“Leading By Example” by Katherine Abbott, grade 11, Washington.
Katherine says: “In a time when the rule of law is being ignored by those who promised to uphold it, it is more important than ever to speak out for justice and equality. However, in our divided country it often feels as though the pursuit of justice has been radicalized and even made out to be the problem in our society, rather than the step to a solution that it is.
This could not be farther from the truth, as Minoru Yasui demonstrated in his own battle for justice, when he fought the discriminatory laws that targeted his fellow Japanese Americans. Yasui understood that obstacles would need to be overcome to achieve immediate change, while making sure his community and others knew that their voices too could be heard with perseverance.
In my piece, Leading By Example, I used a collage of traditional Japanese prints to honor Minoru Yasui’s heritage, and ballpoint pen to depict what I believe is the only way to counter destructive narratives and uphold the rule of law: speaking out louder than ever to inspire our future leaders to use their voices to uphold the rule of law. I wanted to illustrate the act of speaking out, with the children in the collage learning and participating in a march for justice, following the path that Yasui and others have forged for them.
We live in a time when fear of retaliation has silenced many voices. It is crucial that we take action now to demonstrate again the power of protest.”
Senior Division, Second Place Winner: Ami Moon, grade 12, Washington.
Art by Ami Moon, grade 12, Washington.
Ami writes: The constitution and the rule of law were established on the basis of equality. The heart of this nation is built on the notion that everyone, regardless of their background, should be heard. However, our current administration has defiled the meaning of justice and left an unrecognizable and fleeting image of what our nation should be. When the rules of law are a suggestion and the Constitution a loose guidebook, it seems justified to break families apart and kidnap children from their schools because of the shade of their skin. Like the fading Lady Justice in my painting, hope seems tenuous in these unpredictable times. Yet, in the blues and blacks of the oil paints, vitality emerges from the lady’s chest. It’s legacies like Minoru Yasui’s who evoke action in ordinary people and keep her alive.
Change relies on discomfort. My art displays the dismemberment of Lady Justice; her flesh is exposed, showing the consequences of ignoring the rules of law in an unfiltered form. Hope is not maintained through comfort but through action, fiery passions, and anger for change, like the vibrant oranges and reds that fill the lady’s bloodstream and keep her together. Minoru Yasui was just an ordinary man, yet when he stood in that courtroom, he became a lifeline for thousands of marginalized individuals. He wanted to share the message that anyone can act, so I chose a young Hispanic girl to represent the passion and power that drives change. The heart of justice doesn’t have to be wealthy, physically strong, or well-connected, it can be you.
The most dangerous action in times like these is inaction. Protests, boycotts, and noise are what keep equality alive. We should be loud, colorful, and wide-reaching: “we are here, and we will not give up.”
Junior Division First Place Winner: Ava Makiya, grade 8, Maryland.
“Lady Justice” by Ava Makiya, grade 8, Maryland.
Ava says: We are living in unpredictable times where the constitution and the rule of law are being challenged. Immigrants, universities, companies and marginalized communities often face unequal treatment, making it essential to ask what seeking justice truly means. Minoru Yasui’s legacy project provides strong examples of how rule of law must protect everyone equally.
Minoru Yasui believed that the constitution has value when applied to everyone. During world war Il, he deliberately broke curfew imposed on Japanese Americans, exposing how the government violated its own laws based on targeting race. His actions showed that seeking justice sometimes requires challenging unjust laws to uphold the true meaning of rule of law.
My art piece reflects this belief. Lady Justice shows structure and balance within my artwork, representing the rule of law, creating fairness and stability, as well as the paper cranes representing peace and hope, colors of strength and resilience. The lanterns, symbols of guidance and community. Blank spaces for failed and silencing voices, light breaking through spaces representing accountability and hope. Through this piece, I show that the rule of law is not automatic – it must be defended, just as Yasui did.
This project is deeply personal to me because I am half Okinawan. Learning about Minoru Yasui connects my family’s history to a larger national story of injustice and resilience. Knowing that people like Yasui stood for rights that could have been taken from families like mine makes his story feel intimate and real, not distant history. My identity shapes how I understand Yasui’s legacy. His courage represents both resilience and the responsibility to challenge injustice so future generations are protected. Through art and writing, I hope to honor Minoru Yasui by showing that seeking justice for all is the truest way to uphold rule of law and preserve democracy.
Junior Division Second Place Winner: Ty Hjelmeland, grade 8, Oregon.
Art by Ty Hjemeland, grade 8, Oregon.
For more details, please click on the 2026 M.Y. Art Contest Winners.
Knowledge is Power, Hope is Healing:
Empowering Youth to Combat Suicide
Attention all Oregon youth ages 13 to 21!
The Create Resilience Youth Art Contest for Suicide Prevention is your chance to make a difference! You can submit your creative work—whether it’s an essay, poem, song, story, or something else—focused on improving youth mental health. Send in your entries from May 1st to August 1st. Contest winners will be announced on September 10th, which is World Suicide Prevention Day. Cash prizes for the winners!
Get creative and share your voice! By participating, you can help stop the silence, shame, and stigma around mental health. Each one of us is born unique. We are one-of-a-kind and can never be replaced. Think of everyone as a seed—when given the right care and attention, we can grow into something amazing. The gift of life is the most precious gift of all. Yet, there are those who feel so incredibly alone, hurt, without hope, and in so much pain, that they don’t want to live anymore.
You can also read Diane Kaufman’s article on suicide prevention our website here.
FMI: Visit https://www.holdoncampaign.org/youth-mental-health-campaign
• The Hindus for Human Rights’ 2024 Essay and Art Contest Winners have been announced. Read the winning entries here.
• 2024 Minoru Yasui Student Contest Winners Announced!
The 2024 contest theme was “Advancing Democracy” and prompted Oregon students to think about what an ideal democracy looked like, challenges to achieving democracy, and how to overcome them. Contestants expressed their answers through a visual art piece and artist statement. The winners were announced in Portland this month. And they are as follows:
Junior Division:
1st Place: Morgan Salvo, 8th grade, Arts and Communication Magnet Academy, Beaverton, Oregon.
2nd Place: Emmeline Henriquez, 7th grade, Arts and Communication Magnet Academy, Beaverton, Oregon.
By Emmeline Henriquez, 7th grade, Oregon
By Morgan Salvo, 8th grade, Oregon
By Saya Tipton, 10th grade, Oregon
By Evie Chan, 10th grade, Oregon.
Organized by the Minoru Yasui Legacy Project and the Japanese American Museum of Oregon, the Minoru Yasui Student Contest offers students the opportunity to explore societal topics in connection with the legacy of Minoru Yasui (1916-1986), the only Oregonian to have been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. For More information, visit the Minoru Yasui Legacy Project or email to: studentcontest@minoruyasuilegacy.org
* Soroptimist International of Eugene & Skipping Stones Contest
We Are Pleased to Announce the Winners of our Women in S.T.E.M. Contest:
First Place: “The Seamstress and the Mystery of the Argonaut” by Lily Yao, 16, Sophomore, Oregon
Second Place: “Marian Diamond” by Olive Passaro, 17, Oregon
Third Place: “Orange Peels” by Anna Dillon, 18, Oregon
The winning pieces have been published in the March-August 2024 issue of Skipping Stones.
* 2023 Contest Winners Announced! Soroptimist International of Eugene & Skipping Stones Magazine have announced the Winners of our 2023 Women in S.T.E.M. Awards. You can read the winning entries here. The three winning entries have also been published in our March-August 2023 issue. You can read the Spring 2023 issue here. The winners were honored at the awards dinner organized by the Soroptimist International of Eugene on March 8th in Eugene.
* Essay and Art Contest on Civil and Human Rights (winners announced!)
Dalit Solidarity Forum in the USA and Hindus for Human Rights are pleased to announce the winners of their third annual Essay and Art Contest on Civil and Human Rights. The theme was: Which South Asian Social Justice Activist Do You Admire and Why?
High School Essay Winners:
* First Prize: Samara Desai, grade 9, North Carolina, for “Guruchand Thakur”
* Second Prize: Saraah Zaheer, grade 12, Tennessee, for “Rana Ayyub”
* Third Prize: Titas Mukherjee, grade 11, North Carolina, for “Kavita Emmanuel”
High School Art Winners:
* First Prize: Kommali Kommana, grade 12, North Carolina, for “Kailash Satyarthi”
* Second Prize: Eshita Lahiri, grade 10, Louisiana, for “Seema Hari”
* Third Prize: Neha Srinivasan, grade 12, North Carolina, for “Kiran Bedi”
Middle School Winner:
* Megan Gurung, Grade 6, New York, for “Dr. Bishnu Maya Pariyar”
Hearty Congratulations to all the winners! The winning entries are being published in both Skipping Stones Magazine. Read all the winning entries here.
* 30th Anniversary Contest (Past Program)
NOTE: The Winners were published in the Autumn 2019 issue.
We invite writings by youth (ages 7 to 18 years) on intercultural, international or multicultural understanding and/or nature & environmental themes.
Essays, letters, stories, etc. should be exactly 30 words or 30 sentences.
Poems must be either 30 words or 30 lines, exactly.
Please include a parental permission (allowing us to publish your work, if selected for publishing), your contact information, and a cover letter telling us about your age/grade, your cultural background, dreams and visions. Entries must be received in our office by 30th of April 2019.
Winners will be published in our Autumn 2019 issue. They will also receive a certificate and 30 back issues of Skipping Stones as a prize.
Send your entries to: editor(AT)skippingstones(DOT)org
P. O. Box 3939, Eugene, Oregon 97403 USA
