The 2023-2024 World of 8 Billion student video contest is now closed. Winners will be announced on May 21, 2024!

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2022-2023 Winners

2022-2023 Winners

The World of 8 Billion contest is a project of the Population Education program, provider of K-12 classroom resources and professional development opportunities. The contest is run every school year.

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Thank you to all the teachers and students who participated in the 2022-2023 World of 8 Billion student video contest. This year marked a big milestone as we officially changed the contest’s name from World of 7 Billion to World of 8 Billion to reflect the world population hitting 8 billion in November 2022. We were blown away by the creativity, passion, and expertise showcased throughout the videos, especially by the 18 winning films.

The contest first ran during the 2010-2011 school year as a “teachable moment” around the world population reaching 7 billion. 619 videos were received from 36 U.S. states and four countries abroad in that first year and it was meant to be a one-time event. But we received such positive feedback from teachers – many wanted to participate again and make the contest a permanent project in their courses – that we decided to make the contest an annual event.

Now in its 12th year, over 26,000 student videos on the impacts of population have been created as a direct result of the contest. Thousands of students are now more aware of the vast connections between population growth and so many of today’s pressing global challenges. We look forward to continuing the contest into the future and watching as more students explore the complexities of population growth through film.

Contest Judges

Kendrick Ransome

Farmer, Golden Organic Farms, Pinetops, NC

Jacquelyn Aleem

Assistant Principal, Milwaukee Public Schools, Milwaukee, WI

Prof Sandra Esteves

Professor in Bioprocess Technology for Resource Recovery, University of South Wales, Caerleon, Wales, UK

Adoma Addo

Population and Sustainability Associate, Center for Biological Diversity, Tucson, AZ

Nina Henderson

Science Teacher/Department Chair, Suncoast Polytechnical High School, Sarasota, FL

Marty Martell

Outdoor Recreation Sales, REI Boulder, Boulder, CO

Lisa Kitinoja

Founder, The Postharvest Education Foundation, La Pine, OR

Jesse Mechling

Marine Education Director, Center for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA

Brandon Gilroyed

Associate Professor, University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus, Ridgetown, Ontario, Canada

Elizabeth Katoa

Environmental Science and Biology Teacher, North Ridgeville High School, North Ridgeville, OH

Susan Rickens

Former Director of Marketing, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (retired), PA

Gregory Goebel

Program Coordinator, FAU Pine Jog Environmental Education Center, Palm Beach, FL

Laura Verdier

Environmental Consultant, LVR Consulting, West Palm Beach, FL

Robert Pollet

President, Pollet Consulting, Philadelphia, PA

Sue Strutz

Family & Consumer Sciences Teacher, School District of Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin Dells, WI

Shannon Morago

STEM Learning Specialist, Humboldt County Office of Education, Eureka, CA

Cathy Knoop

Development Director, Camp Oty'Okwa, BBBS of Central Ohio, South Bloomingville, OH

Alexander Lempin

Program Specialist, Smyrna Outdoor Adventure Center, Smyrna, TN

Alexandra Brown

Science Teacher, Pensacola Catholic High School, Pensacola, FL

Lesleigh Drake

Program Director, Nature's Classroom Inc, Charlton, MA

Andrea González

CEO, Nuestro Flow, Bogotá, Colombia

Andrea Williams

Vice President, National Association of Black Scuba Divers, Washington, D.C.

Tanu Sankalia

Professor, Architecture and Urban Studies, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA

Harriet Alexander

Senior Online Reporter, Daily Mail, New York, NY

Byron Williston

Professor, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Ryan Drollette

Extension Farm Management Specialist, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

Zhongchao Tan

Professor, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Christopher Gore

Professor, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Alexander Glass

Senior Lecturer in Earth and Climate Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC

Salvatore Agosta

Associate Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

Karen Beitler

Professor Environmental Science, Retired

Emilie Pesante

Cinematographer / Director, Emilie PESANTE, CA

Yarrow Nelson

Professor, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA

Lauren Johnson

Assistant Director, Oxbow Meadows, Columbus State University, Columbus, GA

Michael Brauer

Professor, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Pat Heaney

Assistant Director of Education, The Watershed Institute, Pennington, NJ

Claude Winnie Pefolé Fotsing

Magistrate/ Gender Expert, Ministry of Justice/ ReKnow, Yaounde, Centre, Cameroon

Olivia Nater

Communications Manager, Population Connection, Washington DC

Liz Canfield

Associate Professor, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA

Charlotte Francesiaz

Researcher in Ecology, OFB, Montpellier, France

Neda Atanasoski

Chair, Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, MD

Enma Obrador Garrido

Directora Jurídica, AMAM A.C. Aaociacion de Mujeres Abrazando México, Atizapán de Zaragoza, México, Mexico

Michelle Cude

Executive Director, Nasaruni Education Foundation/Nasaruni Academy, Oleleshwa, Kenya

Julie Ashworth

Professor of Education, Augustana University, Sioux Falls, SD

Sissy Wong

Associate Professor, Science Education, University of Houston, Houston, TX

Sheehan Fisher

Associate Professor, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

Iris Polit

Founder & Chief Strategist, Your Success Ace, Austin, TX

Christine Percheski

Associate Professor, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

Michelle V. Rowley

Associate Professor, Harriet Tubman Department of Women Gender and Sexuality Studies, College Park, MD

Alice Apostoly

Co-director, Gender in Geopolitics Institute, Paris, France

Selma Ayari

Member, Irtikaa For An Active Participation of Women, Tunisia

Angelina Biriukova

Programme Manager, Gender and Security Division, DCAF- Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance, Geneva, Switzerland

Simona Voicescu

Human Rights Advocate, Necuvinte Association, Romania

Lucile Peytavin

Historian, Expert in the prevention of gender-based violence, Writer, Paris, France

Johanna-Soraya Benamrouche

Co-Founder, Feminists against cyberbullying @VsCyberH, Paris, France

John Seager

President, Population Connection, Washington, D.C.
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