VOTE FOR THE BEST IDEA!

Choose from Top 20 Finalists and Help Decide the Winning Team.

About the Challenge

Our oceans are essential for life and plays a huge part of our global economy and well-being. However, our oceans are facing serious challenges. Climate change and pollution are putting immense pressure on marine ecosystems, threatening the balance the world depend on. We need young minds to new create solutions to protect and restore our oceans.

The Red Lobster Ocean Sustainability Challenge welcomes middle school students ages 11-13 to think big and identify solutions to problems facing our oceans today (and remember that local lakes, rivers, and streams all impact our oceans!) By using STEAM skills — science, technology, engineering, arts, and math — students will tackle real-world problems and explore how small actions can create big changes for the health of our world.

Amazing Prizes

The Grand Prize-winning team will receive:

A once in a lifetime all-expenses paid VIP trip to California to meet ocean innovators among other fun activities
Free registration to the 2025 FIRST program of your choice
A STEAM Kit

The four Runner-Up Teams will receive:

Free registration to the 2025 FIRST program of your choice
A STEAM Kit

The school with the Grand Prize-winning team will receive $1,000 in science supplies.

Key Dates

March 28

Submissions Due

April 16

Top 20 Teams Notified

April 21 - May 2

Crowd Voting

May 5

Winners Announced

Simple Steps to Compete

Form a team between 1 to 5 members from the same middle school and start brainstorming problems affecting our waterways and develop a solution to address it.
Film an up to three-minute video that includes identifying the problem, the solution, the STEAM used to develop it, and the potential impact.
Have an adult register the team and submit the video.