Sister Cities International is excited to announce a new collaboration with Project Earth – “The Project Earth – Sister Cities International Challenge” - to engage the next generation of citizen diplomats through environmental and renewable energy projects. Utilizing the Project Earth online resources and sharing platform and the Sister Cities International network of students, teachers, and schools, this challenge will allow young people to work with fellow students in their sister cities to implement sustainable projects focused on mutual environmental problems.

Project Development:

•  The projects will begin in September of 2012 and continue into the spring of 2013.      
• K-12 teachers will assist in organizing a joint project focused on environmental sustainability between a class or club in their city and an international sister city class or club.      
• These classes or clubs coordinate with their international sister city/school partner to formulate environmentally focused projects.  
• Project focus can differ between sister cities and school groups, allowing individual classes to determine their projects based on their specific community needs.
• Each school pair will establish a plan to collaborate on each other’s efforts through the internet by sharing information and giving each other suggestions to help with project implementation through the Project Earth online platform.

Project Earth has sample projects on their website that can help guide the discussion around project selection as well as links to educational organizations with suggestions. http://www.projectearth.net/

Project Submission and Collaboration:

• Once the schools are paired up and project plans have been made, the team will have until April 2013 to complete their projects.      
• There can be more than one team from each sister city relationship and each team effort will be judged separately.      
• Projects must be registered and posted on Project Earth website by a teacher from each school to establish online communication and collaboration.
• Teachers are also encouraged to share comments and collaborate directly with their sister city partners.

 Timeline:

• September 2012 - Roll-out of Challenge to Sister Cities International membership
• September 2012 - April 2013  – Project promotion and implementation      
• April 2013 – Video overview of project and impact submitted through Project Earth website      
• May 1, 2013 – Public voting open on Project Earth website and Review Panel convened      
• May 25, 2013 - Voting closed and final review
• June 10, 2013 - Winning sister citiy pairs notified and promotions out to the membership
• July 2013 - Winning participants announced at Annual Conference in San Antonio, TX

• K-12 school classes or clubs with a teacher sponsor     
• Cities where schools are located must be a partner in good standing with Sister Cities International      
• Project must be registered on Project Earth website through their teacher/adult sponsor.

Project Evaluation:

• A Video overview of project and impact must be submitted through Project Earth website by each teacher before it can be evaluated. 
• Public voting open on Project Earth website and Review Panel convened in May 2013.
• The team efforts will be judged based on quality of project, use of the Project Earth website resource to report its findings, impact to the community, and the level of collaboration and exchange. 

Winners will be selected by the public in May 2013.

Grand-prize Winner
First Runner-up      
Second Runner-up 

Monetary awards will be provided to all three finalist groups.

Please contact info@sister-cities.org for more information or if you have any questions regarding this exciting new youth program.