The 2026 regional affiliate champion senior division community projects from around the world submitted these summaries and promotional videos to showcase their service learning impact. Each individual and student team applied our problem-solving process in their communities to create lasting change.
AI SMART (Students Mastering AI Responsibly Together)
AI SMART (Students Mastering AI Responsibly Together) empowers students to use AI responsibly to enhance learning, not replace it. Recognizing that many middle and high school students lack clear guidance about responsible AI use, we developed research-based resources that promote ethical use and critical thinking. Through our website, interactive presentations, and practical handouts, we teach students to use AI as a tutor, brainstorming partner, and research tool while completing critical thinking tasks independently. Our outreach has reached more than 6,000 students and stakeholders, equipping North Dallas-area students with the skills to use AI responsibly in their learning.
FPS Texas – Representing Trinity Christian Academy (Coached by Jae Kim)
Amplify the Sound
Classical music is taking a big hit. Students across the nation are losing access to music education, but Amplify the Sound aims to stop that. We are a community music project aimed at making music education more accessible for those from underrepresented backgrounds in the Puget Sound, specifically in the Greater Seattle Area. We’ve hosted free educational concerts, organized supply drives, and held workshops while collaborating with regional organizations to ensure that the students of our generation do not lose their right to a music education and are able to receive the resources they need to pursue their musical aspirations.
FPS Washington – Representing Bellevue Independent (Coached by Anima Sharma)
Bites4All
A project to address the “invisible food insecure” population in Louisville, KY. The project creates a system to identify need, create partnerships with community organizations, collect food, stock 24-hour food pantries, and develop an on-going student led system to continue to address this issue in years to come.
FPS Kentucky – Representing DuPont Manual High School (Coached by Jill Lauroesch)
BuddyBridge
BuddyBridge connects teen volunteers with senior neighbors to address two problems at once: the physical safety risks facing older adults and the lack of real-world connection among today’s youth. It pairs teens with a few senior households in their immediate neighborhood, where they build trust through small recurring tasks like moving trash bins, dog walking, and tech help.
FPS California – Representing The Harker School (Coached by Cyrus Merrill)
Celiac Strong
The goal of Celiac Strong is to build a more inclusive community for individuals with celiac disease. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition that affects nearly 1 in every 100 individuals.
FPS New Jersey – Representing West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North (Coached by Donna Grygiel)
Connecting Hearts
As an International School, Star Academy reached out to the Eastern European community of Greater Boston to examine a public health crisis among multilingual/multicultural immigrants – loneliness and declining self-worth, leading to anxiety in a fragile population. Our K-12 population performed meaningful outreach to the Second Home Adult Day Health Care. We used our younger students’ letters, drawings and performances to open the dialogue during our regular visits. We were then able to begin meaningful, intergenerational conversations in our native tongues, which opened many doors to issues we were not aware of, but which are crucial to our aging population.
FPS Massachusetts – Representing Star Academy for the Gifted and Talented (Coached by Beverly Hugo)
Creative Connections
Creative Connections is an evolving program that helps clubs, teachers, students, and the community collaborate to promote creative opportunities. We went through a lot of iterations, but once we settled on our central theme of “connections”, it all clicked. This year, we successfully held a number of creative programs, including an oratorical around the phrase “The Power of We Begins with Me” and Witty Wednesday, a showcase of creative achievements in our community. We received a grant to bedazzle the school, which will bring visual creativity to the hallways. All of this resulted from just one action: “Shifting Our Perspective.”
FPS Ohio – Representing Orange High School (Coached by Kathy Frazier)
DACKAI
DAÇKAI addresses the “Cognitive Outsourcing”; crisis caused by AI tools in schools. To prevent “Autopilot”; habits and integrity threats, we developed the DAÇKAI Socratic Platform, which guides students via analytical questions instead of providing direct answers. We also established a 76-page AI Ethics Manifesto as a digital constitution. Through workshops, national summits, and training for earthquake zones, we reached 200+ participants. Our project increased AI verification rates by 70%, transforming passive usage into active learning collaboration and empowering future ethical digital citizens.
FPS Türkiye – Representing Darüşşafaka High School (Coached by Yagmur Elitog)
Giving Life Back to Water
Project Giving Life to Back to Water is a community project initiated by a group of 3 high school students who noticed that rapid development in Harrisburg, NC, has increased impervious surfaces, leading to polluted stormwater runoff that threatens local ecosystems. To address this, they implemented a strategic action plan focused on natural filtration and education. The project utilizes effectiveness through community-driven solutions like seed globe workshops, park cleanups, pollinator gardens, and community awareness in partnership with the Town Hall, HOAs, and Public Works Department. This collaborative approach ensures long-term water quality protection and sustainable growth for the community.
FPS North Carolina – Representing Hickory Ridge High School (Coached by Nikhila Goyal)
Green Future
In Pike County, the majority of students report a willingness to recycle and acknowledge its importance but often find themselves unable to access recycling bins and programs. Green Future seeks to expand access to recycling in rural communities such as Pike County by providing students in local high schools with access to recycling bins throughout their schools. This was accomplished via the help of community partners, AI-powered analysis to better inform students of what materials from their lunch trays can be recycled, and the dedicated work of student volunteers.
FPS Kentucky – Representing Pikeville High School (Coached by Isaac Hurley)
Happy Bags
Happy Bags is dedicated to improving children’s wellbeing in the paediatric ward of our local hospital. Our initiative utilised our school community and asked for them to provide donations to pack into wellbeing bags, which would then be delivered to our local hospital’s paediatric ward. We made and delivered over 300 bags in 2025, and, since then, we have reached out to sponsors to continue our project towards another delivery of 300 bags in May 2026. This continuation of our initiative further achieves our goal of improving the mental wellbeing of hospitalised children.
FPS Australia – Representing Georges River Grammar (Coached by Jenny Chisholm, Benjamen Haeusler)
It’s Time to Change School Start Times
It’s Time to Change School Start Times addresses teen sleep deprivation caused by a mismatch between adolescents’ biological sleep rhythms and early school schedules. Research shows teens are naturally wired to fall asleep and wake up later, making “just go to bed earlier” unrealistic. Our project advocates for later high school start times in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools through research, expert interviews, data collection, and school board advocacy. By aligning school schedules with teen circadian rhythms, we aim to improve mental health, academic performance, attendance, safety, and overall quality of life for students across the district.
FPS North Carolina – Representing Myers Park High School (Coached by Ashley Hall, Rebecca De Luna)
MicroWise
MicroWise is a student-led community project and a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that brings age-appropriate microplastics education to students in grades 1–5 through hands-on workshops, classroom kits, peer student ambassadors, and digital teacher resources. By making an invisible pollution issue simple, visual, and interactive, MicroWise helps young students understand microplastics and build proactive plastic-use habits early.
FPS New Jersey – Representing West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North (Coached by Donna Grygiel)
On the Spot
Since my 2024 – 2025 CMPS project could not effectively reach children under the age of 13, I shifted the focus of On the SPOT to youth knowledge of local history in the Pearland area. To address this new focus, I created a centralized Pearland History website approved for 4th and 7th grade curriculum use, developed and distributed age-appropriate Pearland history themed coloring pages, and delivered interactive aftercare presentations. These strategies are low cost and easy to sustain. They also preserve Pearland’s history while building a foundation for future civic participation.
FPS Texas – Representing Glenda Dawson High School (Coached by Renji Paul)
P.R.E.V.E.N.T. M.Y.T.H.S.
P.R.E.V.E.N.T. M.Y.T.H.S. is a project centered on preventing myths and misconceptions relating to drug use in Eastern Kentucky. Our team goes to events to handout supplies like Narcan, as well as stock boxes in our town filled with other resources. We have handed out over 500 units of narcan so far in our journey to help make everyone’s time in Kentucky safer.
FPS Kentucky – Representing West Carter High School (Coached by Chris Blankenship)
Pluck and Play
Project Pluck and Play is a student-led initiative addressing the gap in early music exposure and ongoing learning support for children in Northwest Arkansas. Through four core solutions — personally led free music lessons at children’s shelters and daycares, a community awareness campaign across six schools, a free Music Access website with 8 instructional videos, and a pending 501(c)(3) nonprofit — the project has reached 30 children directly, generated 14 family help requests, and supported waitlisted students with at-home learning resources. The mission: ensure every child can experience music’s developmental benefits, regardless of socioeconomic status.
Arkansas (FPS Open Affiliate) – Representing Bentonville West High School (Self coached through Open Affiliate)
Project ClAIRity
Project CLAIRITY aims to improve air quality awareness and promote healthy environments in Brazoria County. Through school presentations, community events, and community partnerships, we educated Brazoria County residents about the health effects of air pollution and measures they can take to reduce them. We set up monitors in community spaces, such as schools, churches, and environmental centers, to inform and protect residents. Using the data we collected, we shared our findings with administrators and community members to both raise air quality awareness and encourage action to be taken on air quality issues.
FPS Texas – Representing Glenda Dawson High School (Coached by Lorena Gonzalez, Noah Dinh)
Project CONNECT
CONNECT is a student-led group from West Windsor High School North dedicated to improving resource access and independence for senior citizens in Mercer County, NJ. Our goal is to help seniors confidently and independently navigate community resources, technology, transportation, educational opportunities, and support systems. Through partnerships with senior centers, schools, businesses, and community organizations, CONNECT develops sustainable programs that increase accessibility, strengthen digital literacy, promote safety and wellness, and empower seniors to remain active, informed, and connected within their communities long-term.
FPS New Jersey – Representing West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North (Coached by Donna Grygiel)
Project DINE
Project DINE addresses excessive screentime during meals in Carmel Valley by encouraging face-to-face interaction. Our team created BondKits which are activity boxes with games, conversation starters, and creative materials used as an alternative to devices at restaurants, fostering connection among families. We also presented to over 3,000 elementary students, educating them on the impacts of screens and promoting healthier habits. Through strong organization, community partnerships, and adaptability, we expanded our outreach and impact. Ultimately, Project DINE promotes lasting behavioral change by empowering families and children to prioritize meaningful, screen-free interactions during mealtimes and beyond.
FPS California – Representing Torrey Pines High School, Canyon Crest Academy (Coached by Ariella Leeder)
Project H.E.R.O.
Project H.E.R.O. (Helping Emergency Response Organizations) from Mahwah High School in New Jersey, addresses critical challenges facing Northern New Jersey EMS departments, including volunteer shortages, limited funding, and lack of patient support resources. Our team collaborated with eight EMS departments and numerous community partners to implement solutions such as marketing materials, volunteer recruitment, fundraising, internships, and Comfort Cases. We distributed over 40 Comfort Cases, raised funds, recruited potential volunteers, and helped launch internship programs. Advocacy efforts generated over 600 emails to state legislators. The project created sustainable community impact by strengthening EMS support systems and increasing awareness.
FPS New Jersey – Representing Mahwah High School (Coached by Justin Saputski, Christine Hartigan Miller)
Project Ripple
Project Ripple is a student-led nonprofit organization that aims to connect the community together to combat loneliness. We hope to create meaningful memories and lasting relations within communities. Watch our video to see why community connections are important, and what we can do to combat social isolation.
FPS Wisconsin – Representing Middleton High School (Coached by Callie Geissler)
Project Seawing
Project Seawing hopes to enable more Singaporean youths aged 7-16 to advocate for the conservation of Hawksbill turtles, a critically endangered species of sea turtles found to nest in Singapore. Our initiatives include beach cleanups, educational sessions, public exhibitions and more. In partnership with the Jane Goodall Institute (Singapore), we participated in annual events such as the Festival of Biodiversity and the Youth Summit of Hope. We have established 3 student chapters across 3 secondary schools, where students lead their own initiatives aligned with Project Seawing’s aspirations.
FPS Singapore – Representing Raffles Girls School (Coached by Lim Shi Zhi)
Project Waste To Worth
The “Waste to Worth” project tackles mismanaged waste and low environmental awareness by transforming community mindsets. Through the “Easy Zero Waste” initiative, our team provided preventive education and established proactive waste-sorting stations at major local events. Concurrently, the “Donation for Future” initiative acted as a central hub, collecting specific recyclables like used paper, aluminum, and plastic caps. We partnered with foundations to upcycle these materials into valuable resources such as Braille media, prosthetic limbs, and recycled desks for underprivileged schools. Ultimately, the project successfully shifted the community’s perspective from discarding “waste” to creating “worth”.
FPS Thailand – Representing Kasetsart University Laboratory School (Coached by Krissana Pokpun)
Project WiseWatch
Senior cybersecurity scams are one of the fastest growing forms of cybercrime across the US, impacting hundreds of thousands and costing billions of dollars in losses. WiseWatch aims to bridge the knowledge gap caused by rapid technological change, bridging in person workshops and easy‑to‑use digital tools that help seniors stay safe online.
FPS North Carolina – Representing Ardrey Kell High School (Coached by Amy Wang)
S.T.R.A.P the Stroke
S.T.R.A.P. the Stroke is a healthcare-based initiative that stands for Spot, Tell, Respond, And Prevent the Stroke. The mission of this initiative is to improve stroke health literacy and empower the community to recognize the signs of stroke quickly.
FPS Ohio – Representing Solon High School (Coached by Tanya Perez)
Save Our Lagoon
Save Our Lagoon (PSOL) is a youth-led environmental outreach initiative focused on increasing awareness about nitrogen pollution in the Indian River Lagoon through hands-on STEM education. PSOL partnered with local elementary schools to deliver interactive presentations and activities, including runoff simulations and nitrate testing experiments, reaching over 150 students across three schools. By combining scientific demonstrations, take-home STEM kits, and community engagement, the project significantly improved students’ understanding of how fertilizer runoff impacts local ecosystems, with post-quiz scores increasing by up to 52%. By sparking awareness and action at an early age, Project: Save Our Lagoon aims to build a generation of environmentally conscious leaders dedicated to restoring and preserving the lagoon for future generations.
FPS Florida – Representing West Shore Jr/Sr High School (Coached by Chloe Radd)
The Eureka Project
The Eureka Project aims to reduce the underdiagnosis of ADHD and/or Autism in Victorian girls. Through educational toolkits that dismantle stereotypes, the project helps teachers and parents better recognize overlooked presentations in girls. I designed comprehensive toolkits distributed directly into 3 Victorian schools and the ICGS and VicSRC networks of over 60,000+ teachers (700+ schools globally). I have presented at the Stanford Neurodiversity Conference and workshop, as well as ICGS’S podcast and Australian workshops with over 560 school leaders attending. Ultimately, the goal is to break down stereotypes, fostering earlier identification and support for girls across Victoria and beyond.
FPS Australia – Representing MLC Melbourne (Coached by Kathy Bernardi, Natasha Stewart)
The Real You is the Best Brand
The Real You Is The Best Brand project aimed to increase students’ knowledge of self-marketing and personal branding, addressing the finding that 54% of students did not know what self-marketing was. The goal was for students to understand the importance of a good brand for future opportunities.
FPS Florida – Representing Matanzas High School (Coached by Amy Kopach)
Voices for Early Detection
Neurodegenerative diseases (Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, and ALS) devastate millions, yet most patients aren’t diagnosed until after 60-80% of neurological damage. The barriers are systemic: expensive specialist evaluations require referrals and travel to urban medical centers that underserved, rural, and multilingual communities cannot access. “Voices for Early Detection” dismantles those barriers. My speech-based neurological screening platform turns a 30-second audio recording into an accessible early risk screening assessment. Paired with personalized next steps, a community-resource directory, and cognitive-engagement tools, the platform meets under-resourced communities where they are, shifting neurological awareness from an exclusive medical privilege into something everyone can access.
FPS Washington – Representing Bellevue Independent (Coached by Neha Yadav)
Vote2Change
Vote2Change is a civic engagement project in Rochester, NY that aimed to close the information gap between local leaders and young people, encouraging greater civic participation. I surveyed 64 residents, hosted a Q&A with County Executive Adam J. Bello, interviewed three local judges, published articles in the Runestone newspaper, and distributed informational voter registration posters across the community. I also launched Crafted for Cause, raising nearly $200 for Rochester Legal Aid Society. The project reached over 6,000 viewers and fostered intergenerational dialogue.
FPS New York – Representing Pittsford High School (Coached by Peter Ghazarian, Whitney Raymo)
