About CAVU
Mission
CAVU’s Climate Innovation Challenge engages youth to realize their own agency, create their own story, and build climate solutions for their communities, which creates a more hopeful and livable future.
Vision
We envision a generation of Young People who are Hopeful about their ability to have a Positive Impact on the climate crisis in their Communities.
From Advocacy to Action: The CAVU Story
20-Year Foundation
For over two decades, CAVU has been at the forefront of environmental storytelling. What remains unchanged is our core mission to elevate the storytelling of local community members and youth directly impacted by environmental degradation as a tool for systems change.
The Pivot
CAVU, as an organization, has evolved significantly. Our founders have documented climate impacts from the Arctic to Africa through film and advocacy, always believing that authentic stories drive real change. But documenting problems wasn’t enough.
Today's Focus
We realized that the most powerful stories weren’t just about what’s happening to our planet, they were about what young people are doing to save it. The Climate Innovation Challenge represents our evolution from bearing witness to building hope, from advocacy to action.
CAVU's Core Values
Collaboration
We believe that the most powerful solutions emerge when diverse voices work together. CIC creates global communities of young changemakers who learn from and inspire each other across continents and cultures.
Inclusion
Climate change affects everyone, but not equally. We’re committed to ensuring that all young people—regardless of geography, economic status, or background—have access to hope-centered climate education and the tools to create change in their communities.
Innovation
We encourage creative problem-solving and out-of-the-box thinking. Through CIC, students don’t just learn about existing solutions—they design new ones that reflect their unique perspectives and local contexts.
Integrity
We ground our work in evidence-based practices and authentic storytelling. Our curriculum aligns with educational standards, and our impact claims are backed by research and student outcomes.
Excellence
We’re provide high-quality educational experiences that prepare students for both academic success and real-world impact. Our resources meet rigorous standards while remaining accessible and engaging.
Empathy
We recognize that climate change can feel overwhelming, especially for young people. Our approach starts with understanding and validating students’ emotions while providing pathways to empowerment and action.
What Educators Say
Creating a Movement of Hope and Agency
The Research Foundation
Based on research regarding the role of “hope” in people’s mental models, we’ve learned that hope is a future-oriented emotion that attunes people to the possibility of positive change, and thus could potentially catalyze societal engagement with climate change.
The relationship between hope and climate action is most robust when the target of hope is climate engagement (action hope) rather than climate change more broadly.
Our Approach
1. Hope Fuels Innovation and Learning
The Climate Innovation Challenge (CIC) isn’t just a program—it’s a catalyst for students to transform their hope into action. By combining STEAM education, storytelling, and climate action, CIC empowers students to become changemakers in their communities.
2. Giving Students a Sense of Agency
We believe that hope is the foundation of agency. CIC provides young learners with the tools, knowledge, and confidence to create solutions for climate change—showing them that their voices and ideas truly matter.
3. From Ideas to Impact
Through research, problem-solving, and creative video production, students bring hopeful solutions to life. The culmination of the challenge celebrates their work, showcasing their visions for a better world while awarding cash prizes to top entries.
4. Storytelling as a Vehicle for Hope
Climate solutions start with a story. CIC teaches students how to communicate powerful messages through digital media, equipping them with storytelling and video production skills that can inspire action and change.
5. Education for a Future Worth Fighting For
CIC aligns with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Common Core ELA standards, ensuring students gain meaningful, future-ready skills. It’s a curriculum designed to prepare them for both their educational journey and the professional world ahead.
6. A Community of Young Innovators
Hope is stronger when shared. CIC fosters collaboration, leadership, and teamwork, uniting students worldwide in a global movement of optimism and action against climate change.
7. Flexibility for Every Age Group
CIC offers built-in flexibility to serve students in grades 3-12, making climate education accessible, engaging, and age-appropriate for all learners.
8. Transforming Climate Anxiety into Climate Action
Many young people feel overwhelmed by climate change. CIC provides a hopeful pathway forward—replacing fear with knowledge, creativity, and tangible solutions that drive real-world impact.
9. More Than a Challenge—A Lifelong Skillset
CIC equips students with critical thinking, environmental literacy, leadership, digital media literacy, project management, and interdisciplinary problem-solving—skills that will empower them for life.
10. Hope in Action Starts Here
CIC invites students, teachers, and communities to be part of something bigger. Supporting CIC means joining a movement that champions young voices, celebrates innovation, and builds a hope-driven future.
Meet the CAVU Team
CAVU’s leadership reflects our values of collaboration and inclusion. Our team brings together expertise in education, filmmaking, environmental advocacy, and youth development, all united by the belief that young people are not just the leaders of tomorrow — they’re the changemakers of today.
Our Sponsors and Community Partners
Educational Partners
Schools and districts implementing CIC curriculum
Community Partners
Local organizations supporting student projects
Funding Partners
Foundations and donors investing in youth climate leadership
Technology Partners
Platforms supporting curriculum delivery and video submission
Help Make Their Future Theirs
Educators
Students
Supporters
