FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Review the questions and answers below. If you have a new question that you do not see here, please email us at ecochallenge@scholastic.com.
1. What is the Lexus Eco Challenge?
The Lexus Eco Challenge is a STEM contest for grades 6–12 that gets students involved in an environmental issue that affects their community, to use their critical-thinking and research skills to come up with a solution, and to report on the results by using one of the Action Plan Submission Templates (PowerPoint or Google Slides). (To find tips for you and your students on creating an Action Plan, download the Action Plan Reference Tool and rubric.)
2. Who can enter the Challenge?
The Challenge is open to students in grades 6–12 who are registered and homeschooled, or enrolled in a public or accredited private school, and who are legal residents of the United States or the District of Columbia. Teams can enter if they are part of an after-school science or environmental club, but the Challenge is not open to clubs outside of the school. Please see the Official Rules for complete details.
3. Where can I find a description of the prizes?
A breakdown of the prizes is outlined here.
4. Do teams have to enter both the Land & Water and the Air & Climate Challenges to compete in the Final Challenge?
No. All winning middle school and high school teams—whether in one or both of the first two challenges—are invited to participate in the Final Challenge.
5. What constitutes a “team”?
A team is made up of five to ten students led by one or two Teacher Advisor(s). A Teacher Advisor must be a full-time teacher employed at the school (not a volunteer parent or other adult in the school). A Teacher Advisor can advise as many teams as desired, but no student can participate in more than one team within each Challenge. Only teams can enter the Lexus Eco Challenge.
6. What if a student withdraws?
Do not reregister your team. For the Land & Water and Air & Climate challenges, you can update your team registration information on the Teacher Dashboard. You must have a minimum of five students to participate. For the Final Challenge or if you have additional questions, email the Lexus Eco Challenge at ecochallenge@scholastic.com for information on how to proceed.
7. Can my students enter if they have family members who work for Lexus, Toyota, or Scholastic?
No. Per the Official Rules, employees of Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) (“Sponsor”), Scholastic Inc., their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, dealers and dealer personnel, advertising and promotion agencies, and their immediate families (spouse, parent, child, sibling, and their respective spouses and those living in the same household of each employee, whether or not related), and all others associated with the development and execution of this Contest and their immediate families (spouse, parent, child, sibling, and their respective spouses and those living in the same household of each employee, whether or not related), collectively referred to as “Sponsor’s Related Entities,” are not eligible to participate in the Contest.
8. Do students have to choose one of the provided topics?
Yes, Action Plans must be based on one of the provided topics.
9. Where can I find the Official Rules?
See the complete Official Rules here.
10. What is the maximum size limit for my Action Plan PowerPoint?
The maximum size limit for a team’s 15-slide Action Plan PowerPoint is 10 MB. This limit includes all of the items the team will add to this PowerPoint. See PowerPoint requirement guidelines.
11. Do I have to follow the dates on the Challenge Planner?
The dates on the Challenge Planner are there as a guideline. Other than the submission deadline, however you plan to use the time is up to you.
12. Does my contest entry have to be exclusive to the Lexus Eco Challenge?
Each Lexus Eco Challenge contest entry must be the students’ own original work and cannot contain copyrighted material or material that is owned by another party or material that in any other way would restrict the rights (“restricted materials”) granted to the contest Sponsor, Toyota Motor North America (TMNA). If Sponsor or Sponsor’s related entities discover at any time, during or after the contest, that an entry contained restricted materials, the team and Teacher Advisor who submitted the entry may, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, be disqualified. If disqualified, the team and Teacher Advisor would be obligated to immediately return any and all prizes that may have been awarded to them in connection with their entry.
13. How do I enter the Lexus Eco Challenge?
- Register the Team: The Teacher Advisor must go to scholastic.com/lexus and click “Register a Team” to register each team of 5–10 students.
- Choose a Challenge: Each student team and its Teacher Advisor should go to scholastic.com/lexus and choose a Challenge to enter: Land & Water, Air & Climate, or both! Then select one of the topics provided to address.
- Research the Topic: Provide class time for each team to research its topic.
- Develop an Action Plan: Instruct each team to create an original Action Plan describing how the students can help solve their selected environmental issue.
- Put the Ideas Into Action: Teachers will guide teams to implement their Action Plans in their community. Remind students to keep track of the process, including results.
- Submit the Entry: Teacher Advisors must submit a team’s entry by having students create a presentation using the Action Plan Submission Templates (PowerPoint or Google Slides) found online and then emailing the entry to ecochallenge@scholastic.com! Each Teacher Advisor must include his or her name, the team name, and the school name in the subject line of the email with the entry submission. Only Teacher Advisors may submit Action Plans. For complete entry details, view the Official Rules and see the How to Enter page.