Children & Youth Environmental Award

Since the beginning of industrialization, the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere has been steadily increasing. The main cause is mankind, whose lifestyle requires a lot of energy. To meet this demand, fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas are burned. This produces greenhouse gases that retain the heat emitted by the earth in the atmosphere - similar to a greenhouse. This man-made greenhouse effect leads to a rise in average global temperatures. Extreme weather events such as storms, heatwaves and floods are on the increase.

We are also feeling the effects in Thuringia: milder winters, more frequent hot days, longer periods of drought and heavy rainfall are the result.

In order to slow down climate change and prevent the worst consequences, the international community has set itself the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C. This would mean annual greenhouse gas emissions of 1.5°C per year. This would mean annual greenhouse gas emissions of one tonne of CO₂ equivalent (CO₂e) per year. For comparison: in Germany, annual emissions are around 10 tons of CO₂e per capita.

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a joint task. Politics, business and large corporations have an enormous responsibility, but we as individuals also have an influence on how much CO₂ we cause - for example through our consumption, our diet, our mobility and our energy consumption. If we live more consciously, we reduce our own footprint.
People who live in a climate-conscious way make sure they cause as little CO₂ and other climate-damaging gases as possible. This can often be achieved with small changes in everyday life - and these add up to a big difference.

A climate-friendly life does not mean doing without, but rather responsibility - and often also creativity, community and fun. The more people take part, the greater the effect.

Show us your commitment! Whether you are starting a project, contributing a concept or have already implemented something - we look forward to your contributions.

Who can take part?

The competition is aimed at children and young people living in Jena. Individuals as well as groups, initiatives, associations, school classes and kindergarten groups can take part. In the case of group projects, the organization must be based in Jena. Support from adults is permitted.

How can I submit my application?

The application is made informally with a description of the project or activity carried out.

The following information is required

• Short project description,
• Number of participants,
• age of the children or class level,
• full address of the applicant and at least one contact person for queries.

Send your application to the

Jena City Council
Environmental Protection Department
Am Anger 26
07743 Jena

or

also by e-mail to umweltschutz@jena.de(link sends email).

The closing date for entries is 26.04.2026.

Evaluation criteria

• Active action to improve the environmental situation
• Intensive personal involvement with the topic
• Sustainability of the project (impact on environmental awareness, role model character)
• Presentation of the project (clarity, creativity)

Prize

The Jena Children's & Youth Environmental Prize comprises a total sum of 2,500 euros and can be divided among several prize winners. The prize is sponsored by Stadtwerke Energie Jena-Pößneck GmbH and the City of Jena.

The award ceremony will take place as part of the Environment Day // Your Day in Paradise in May 2026.

Instead of gray: urban green!

Six kindergartens and four schools took part in the competition under the motto "Instead of gray: urban greenery!" with a variety of activities relating to unsealing, insect-friendly planting, urban trees and flower meadows.

1st prize: UniverSaale - Freie Gemeinschaftsschule

The first prize of 1,000 euros went to the "Schoolyard design" working group from UniverSaale - Freie Gemeinschaftsschule. Ten schoolgirls from grades 7 to 10 took a lot of initiative to redesign their schoolyard in an ecological way. In weekly meetings, they planned and implemented insect-friendly planting and built their own seating/bed combinations. They also involved other classmates - some with special needs. The project will be continued and was particularly impressive due to its sustainability and high level of commitment.

2nd prize: Kindergarten Zum Leutratal

Kindergarten Zum Leutratal was awarded second prize and 700 euros for the "Flower bench on the Gober" project. Children, parents, teachers, the local district council and other supporters have worked together to create a nature-oriented adventure site in Maua - including a flower meadow, insect hotel and tree planting. The kindergarten has committed to maintaining the area for at least five years - an exemplary, community-based commitment.

3rd prize: Kita Sternschnuppe & Freier Kindergarten Jena e. V.

The third prize (400 euros each) is shared by two institutions:

Kita Sternschnuppe impressed with its "Every leaf counts" project - from a self-designed book about Jena's favorite trees, to action days at the retirement home, to planting trees and shrubs and distributing wildflower seeds.

The Freie Kindergarten Jena e.V. submitted two projects: a green "children's garden" house and a commitment to more greenery on Fichteplatz. In cooperation with the local district council, the district mayor and the district meeting point, the children and their teachers campaigned for more shade and greenery on the playground.

Recognition

Recognition in the form of a voucher from the Talstein nursery:

• Bertolla Kindergarten
• Janusz Korczak Kindergarten
• Jenzigblick daycare center
• Class 4c of the Westschule
• North School
• Heinrich Heine Primary School

These institutions have contributed to the greening of their yards with a variety of ideas, held weekly forest days or planted new trees.

Many thanks to all applicants for their participation and great projects!

Our soil: just dirt?

Under this motto, 10 kindergartens and two school classes dealt intensively with the topic of soil and carried out various exciting projects.

This year, the jury awarded a joint first prize of 650 euros each, two second prizes of 300 euros each, two third prizes of 200 euros each and two special prizes of 100 euros each. There were also four non-cash prizes.

Joint first prize

The kindergarten Am Lauensteinweg and class 6a of the Christliches Gymnasium were jointly awarded first prize. The pupils had planned and successfully implemented a project day for the kindergarten children. The kindergarten children had also been working intensively on the topic for several months and had, for example, brought soil samples from their vacation and analyzed them.

Second and third prize

The second prizes went to the Sternschnuppe daycare center and the Kinderbude kindergarten. This was the 6th time that the Kinderbude kindergarten had successfully taken part in the competition. The Sternschnuppe daycare center, which won the main prize in the last two years, once again performed outstanding educational work this year.

The Janusz Korczak kindergarten and Zum Leutratal daycare center were each awarded third prize for their submitted projects.

Special and non-cash prizes

A special prize of €100 each was awarded to the Freie Kindergarten Jena e.V. and the learning group 3/4 of the "Friedrich Schiller" state elementary school. The kindergartens Kinderzeit, Bummi, Sprachkiste and Im Ziegenhainer Tal were awarded non-cash prizes in the form of gardening vouchers.

We would like to thank all applicants for their participation and great projects!

Water is valuable

Under this motto, we wanted to highlight the enormous importance of water for nature and people in 2023.

Two kindergartens are the main prize winners

Six kindergartens and two school classes applied for the prize. They dealt intensively with the topic of water and carried out various exciting projects.

Main prize winners

This year, the jury decided to award two main prizes of 800 euros each and four special prizes of 200 euros each. There was also a recognition prize and a non-cash prize.

• One main prize went to the Sternschnuppe kindergarten, last year's winner. In addition to visits to a sewage treatment plant and a trout hatchery, the children were particularly impressed by the fact that they held an online meeting with children from Nicaragua. In this exchange, they learned how carefully water is or must be handled there. The children also created a great radio program on the topic of water.
• The second main prize went to the Janusz Korczak kindergarten. Among other things, the children measured how much water is used if you leave the water running while brushing your teeth or use a toothbrush mug. Great care is taken to use water sparingly and consumption is now checked monthly with the janitor.

Special, recognition and material prizes

The special prizes went to the Bummi, Zum Leutratal and Pi mal Daumen kindergartens and to class 4b at Lobdeburgschule.

• The Bummi kindergarten now has a water and electricity police force that ensures careful use of resources.
• The children at Zum Leutratal kindergarten learned a lot with a visit to the waterworks and numerous experiments and were active with a litter collection campaign at Mühlenbach and Leutra.
• The children at Pi Mal Daumen kindergarten asked themselves: "What's going on in the Saale?" They looked at the Saale habitat, in particular the beaver.
• At Lobdeburg School , pupils in class 4b kept water diaries and designed posters to draw attention to water consumption and conservation.

The Jona & Joni kindergarten created a watering hole for birds and received a prize for their efforts.

Class 6b of the Christliches Gymnasium planned a special hall clean-up and received gripping tongs as a non-cash prize.

Many thanks to all applicants!

Who has seen the brown bear?

Under this motto, we wanted to focus on the protection of insects in 2022.

Applications from kindergartens and schools

Five kindergartens and five schools applied for the prize and impressively demonstrated how they have dealt with the topic of insects. For example, habitats for insects were created on the school or nursery grounds, nesting aids were built, the development of insects was observed and researched or the public was encouraged to mow the lawn less often.

This year, the jury decided to award two main prizes of 800 euros each and three second prizes of 300 euros each. There were also three special prizes and non-cash prizes.

• One main prize went to the Leonardo Free All-Day School, last year's winner. The pupils from the Berlin, Italy and Spain home groups (grades 4-6) spent four weeks working intensively to protect insects, creating a pile of dead wood and designing numerous posters, fact sheets and flyers, which they distributed in the city center.
• The second main prize went to the Sternschnuppe daycare center for their intensive involvement with and commitment to the brown bear and other insects. This was an impressive demonstration of how important it is for the daycare center to teach children about ecological relationships and show appreciation for insects. An appeal to search for the brown bear was successful: a caterpillar was found!

The 2nd prizes went to Kita Am Lauensteinweg, Kita Kinderbude and Nordschule.

• Kita Am Lauensteinweg was able to present itself as particularly insect-friendly. With its nature-oriented concept, forest excursions and nature observations are on the agenda. Even the youngest children are familiar with the ant lion, which feels at home on the daycare center grounds.
• The Kinderbude daycare center, another nature-oriented, ecologically oriented daycare center, was able to impress with its project "Insect diversity - what can we do for it?" and show that nature conservation and the protection of insects play a role in its daily work.
• Insect protection is also a top priority at the Nordschule. A working group - the Greenteam - has already implemented numerous measures at the school and is planning more: Insect nesting aids have been built, areas for ground bumblebees kept free of vegetation or other areas deliberately not mowed in order to serve as a food source for insects.

Special prizes with prize money of 150 euros went to the Weltentdecker daycare center (groups 5 and 6) with their project "Die Kita blüht und brummt" and the Zum Leutratal daycare center with "Natürlich leben - Natur erleben".

Finally, non-cash prizes went to the Wenigenjena Community School, which has its own beehive; Class 4b of the Schule am Rautal, which produced 350 seed balls; and the Christliches Gymnasium, where pupils built raised beds from pallets and planted them in an insect-friendly way.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all applicants for their commitment!

Less is more - how we avoid waste

Under the motto "Less is more - how we avoid waste", we were interested in waste prevention activities in Jena in 2021.

Applications from kindergartens, schools and an association

The jury received a total of eleven great applications. The jury decided that all of the projects submitted by the applicants were worthy of an award. In addition to the 1st and 2nd prizes, two recognition prizes and two special prizes as well as non-cash prizes were awarded. This year, the non-cash prizes were contributed by Kommunalservice Jena.

• The winner, the Spanish home group (grades 4 - 6) from the Leonardo free all-day school, received prize money of 800 euros. The participants impressed the jury with their four-week project on waste prevention, which included the development of an escape room.
• Second place with 500 euros went to class 2d of the Nordschule with their "Waste-free breakfast" project. They had set themselves the task of producing no more waste for breakfast for seven weeks and demonstrated alternatives.
• Two recognition prizes of 300 euros each were awarded to the Weltentdecker daycare center with their project "Waste nothing - reuse!" and the Kurz & Klein daycare center, which is well on its way to becoming a "low-plastic daycare center".
• Finally, the Wenigenjena Community School and the HBV Jena 90 e. V. were each rewarded with 300 euros: they had organized large-scale waste collection campaigns this year.
• The prizes in kind were handcarts for the Kinderbude and Jona & Joni daycare centers, 10 tongs and vests each for the Fantasia and Glühwürmchen daycare centers and a gardening voucher for last year's winner: the Freie Ganztagsgrundschule SteinMalEins.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all applicants for their commitment!

The award ceremony took place on 21.07.2021 at the winner's home.

Climate protection now. With us.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Children & Youth Environmental Award could not be presented as usual in May for "Your day in paradise". Instead, the award ceremony took place on 21.09.2020 with the winner of the main prize.

This year's main prize went to the "Tiger Eyes Tribe Group" from the independent all-day elementary school SteinMalEins. They impressed the jury with their multi-faceted "Children for future" project. The primary school pupils were particularly active with different activities every month and several project days on the topic of climate protection. They tried out all sorts of things for the "Tip of the Month", e.g. making chocolate cream without palm oil and adapting the BUNDjugend'sKlasse Klima project(link is external) to primary school pupilson their initiative.

Second place was shared by the integrative Kindervilla daycare center with its project "Ideas instead of waste" and the Sprachkiste kindergarten with its "On the trail of solar energy" project.

The two third places went to the ecologically oriented daycare center Kinderbude and class 3c (now class 4c) of the Südschule with their project "Plastic waste in our environment".

Many thanks for the great projects and congratulations!

Biodiversity - What can we do for it?

Under the motto "Biodiversity - What can we do for it?", we were interested in biodiversity activities in Jena in 2019.

The award winners were honored as part of the "Your Day in Paradise" festival on 25.05.2019.

Many great projects from kindergartens, schools and clubs

The jury received a total of 13 applications. All of the applicants deserved an award, so it was difficult to choose the winners. In addition to five environmental prizes, a recognition prize and a special prize were also awarded.

The Jona & Joni daycare center received 500 euros for its "Raising Thistle Butterflies" project. The kindergarten children were able to experience the developmental stages of the butterflies up close and dealt with questions about the living conditions of insects. In order to do something good for the butterflies in the wild, the children redesigned the garden area. Further redesigns are to follow.

The Wogau forest kindergarten also received 500 euros for the project "It hums and buzzes in Wogau". The children at the kindergarten have been working intensively on the topic of insects and have dealt with the questions "What do insects need to live?", "What do they feed on?" and "What different needs do they have?" both theoretically and practically. In a second step, the knowledge gained should lead to the construction of an "insect hotel prototype" and convince 50 local residents to build it. Good luck with that!

Class 4b of the Nordschule received 500 euros for their extraordinary commitment to the protection of animals and plants. In their free time, the pupils built insect hotels, which now provide shelter for all kinds of wild bees in the spacious school garden. In addition, an entire bed was transformed into a nectar paradise. The children would like to use the prize money to start further environmental projects. We are excited!

The Jugend-Umwelt-Club Jena e. V. has been committed to increasing biodiversity for many years with its insect-friendly garden. A children's group meets every two weeks and looks after the garden. The 500 euro prize money will be used to replace the existing insect hotel, among other things.

In 2017, the allotment garden association "Am Jenzig" e. V. transformed a lawn into a nature garden: with a hedgehog castle, lizard pile, insect hotel and wildflower meadow. Interested children meet once a month to actively protect nature and look after the nature garden. In future, insect hotels, birdhouses and feeding stations are to be built for the club members. 500 euros in prize money is now available for this.

Stefanie Gehrke received a recognition prize of 100 euros from the Montessori School in Jena with the project "Nature as a source - protect and use". The jury particularly honored her elaborately prepared interview in which she explained the project process. The insect-rich flower meadow can be admired next to the school's entrance area.

The special prize went to the show ballet Formel I e. V. The children of the dance group dealt intensively with the topic of "pollution of the oceans" and want to make many people think with their dance project "Haiko the Shark". 500 euros in prize money can now be used for new costumes.

Special thanks also go to the applicants who were not among this year's prizewinners, but who were and still are committed to promoting more biodiversity:

• Sielmanns Naturranger
• Kindergarten Sportforum
• Pi mal Daumen daycare center (Querwege e. V.)
• Kinderbude daycare center
• BiLLY daycare center (Querwege e. V.)
• Janusz Korczak daycare center