Two William Floyd High School rising seniors and teammates in the YMCA Changemakers Project competition – Alice Chen and Mathew Reis – were recently selected as one of three nationwide team winners at the YMCA Changemakers Summit.
YMCA Changemakers is completely youth-led and designed for students across the nation to propose projects that address critical needs on a local level. As a result of their project being selected among the top three, Alice and Mathew will receive a $5,000 grant to implement their project within our local community.
Alice and Mathew’s winning project, “Gorgeous Gardens: Long Island Nitrogen Pollution,” focuses on addressing nitrogen pollution caused by stormwater runoff, resulting in ecological dead zones, algal blooms and ozone depletion.
According to the proposal, “Gorgeous Gardens will implement rain gardens in local public areas, reducing runoff, mitigating flooding and lowering nitrogen levels by 40%. These cost-effective, low-maintenance gardens will also filter pollutants, support pollinators and inspire community engagement and environmental awareness.” Alice and Mathew have been in contact with Long Island YMCA leaders to discuss next steps and future implementation of their project.
Fellow rising seniors Hiba Farooq and Kaitlyn Corn also competed in this prestigious competition, which featured just 40 teams consisting of 80 students total (two per team) from 22 states representing the YMCA through schools, communities and programs. In addition to solving critical needs or issues in local communities, Changemakers is designed to help students learn from one another’s ideas, as well as develop and enhance their leadership skills. During the conference, students also had the opportunity to explore Washington, D.C.
The Changemakers Summit is informed by the YMCA’s Changemaker Strategy, which aims to prepare young people to be active contributors and stakeholders in decision-making within their communities. The Changemaker Strategy is guided by three principles: beliefs and values, meaningful experiences, and intentional settings.
“Through initiatives like YMCA Changemakers, the Y empowers young people to address today's challenges and shape the future of their communities,” said Suzanne McCormick, President and CEO of Y-USA. “I am inspired by the finalists and every student who embraced this opportunity. Their dedication, ingenuity and civic mindedness give me great hope for a brighter tomorrow.”