Every year, Lexus in cooperation with Scholastics inc. hosts a contest that aims to push students into thinking about the future of our planet. Lexus has ever since its founding been concerned for the well-being of planet earth, and with the rise of Hybrid vehicles, it has led the luxury sector of that industry. Naturally, this kind of contest just seemed to be something meant to happen. Teams of 5 students and a teacher advisor every year compete for thousands of dollars worth in scholarships from all over the country and have involved more than 20,000 students over the last four years. In those last four years, according to a news release on the subject, “more than $3 million has been awarded to students, teachers, and schools across the nation. This fall, students are invited to participate in the fifth annual Lexus Eco Challenge for a chance to win part of $500,000 in grants and scholarships.” 

The contest involves three separate contests. The first round of the overall event allows for students to choose one of the two entry contests, one based on “Land/Water”, one on “Air/Climate”. Teams are instructed to find one issue in their community that has to do with the two involved topics and research possible solutions. The winner of the first team is determined by who seems to address the issue at hand through an Action Plan Powerpoint presentation. Limited by a size restriction of 15-20 MB, the Action PPT must consider the issue and address it in a logical/feasible way. However, the ideas in the Action Plan must have been implemented in the community for a positive result. In this way, Lexus and Scholastic are pushing students to really make a difference in their communities. 

Lexus Eco Challenge

The report online received an interview from Mark Templin, the Lexus Group VP and General Manager. “Last year the students and teachers went above and beyond the scope of the Lexus Eco Challenge,” said Templin. “We’re eager to see what the fifth year will bring us. Every year, we see the students and their teachers being more resourceful and committed to their projects. It’s wonderful to see how the Lexus Eco Challenge is making an impact on their schools, community and our environment.”

The following link is from Scholastic’s information homepage on the Lexus Eco Challenge. This team from Clark Magnet school in California entered last year and won $10,000 in prize money.