[ECO]Beyond awareness: How Stories and Science are Empowering Young Environmental Changemakers

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Beyond awareness: How stories and science are empowering young environmental changemakers

Imagine a generation of kids who see themselves as environmental heroes—not only aware of big global issues like climate change and biodiversity loss but ready and excited to tackle them. As co-founders of

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we know that reaching today’s young people requires world-class storytelling. Kids are sophisticated media consumers who expect quality on par with their favorite streaming shows and games. Environmental education isn’t just competing with textbooks anymore—it’s competing with TikTok.

Stories have always been catalysts for change. Think of how An Inconvenient Truth transformed complex climate science into a narrative that moved millions to action. On a more intimate scale, there’s Marce the Recycler, created by Colombian influencer Sara Samaniego, who shows kids through entertaining videos that environmental action can be both doable and fun. Quality storytelling isn’t optional—it’s essential for connecting with young audiences and inspiring real action.

The science behind this approach is fascinating. Research from Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child shows that early experiences—including engaging stories—shape cognitive and emotional development in profound ways. When young people connect with relatable characters taking meaningful action, they develop the empathy, responsibility, and persistence needed to tackle real-world challenges.

But great stories alone aren’t enough. We learned this while developing our Junior Scientist Maker Program (JSMP). By partnering with the Center for Inquiry-Based Learning and the creators of the Debris Tracker citizen science app, we’ve created a bridge between compelling narratives and real-world action. This three-step journey—inspire through story, educate through inquiry, and engage through action—has become central to everything we do at Global Tinker. As we developed our programs, we saw how this model creates a natural progression from awareness to impact. Students first connect emotionally with environmental challenges through

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, then develop scientific understanding through hands-on investigation, and finally take meaningful action in their communities.

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Scientist Maker. Image: Global Tinker

The impact of combining high-quality content with hands-on science is best described by the students themselves. “My favorite part about the science program was how every single experiment included fun, but also science,” says Sammy, a first grader from Sanford, North Carolina. This balance of engagement and education is exactly what we aimed for. Even students who initially showed less interest in science find themselves drawn in.

We’re seeing transformation in the classroom, too. “My students got a lot better at collecting, recording, and comparing quantitative data,” notes Debbie, a Title 1 elementary school teacher from Atlanta, Georgia. This skill development extends beyond environmental awareness. As Jill, another Title 1 teacher from Durham, North Carolina, observes, “All students enjoyed the lessons and have applied them to other areas of academics and in the classroom.”

The program’s success ***** in its hands-on approach to learning. “I liked how it was hands-on activities that really got your brain thinking about the design process,” explains Kayla, a third grader from Raleigh. This practical experience creates genuine engagement with environmental issues.

The urgency for this kind of engagement couldn’t be clearer. Today’s environmental challenges will shape our children’s futures in profound ways. But rather than leaving them feeling overwhelmed, we need to equip them with the tools, confidence, and motivation to take action. This requires both world-class storytelling that can capture their imagination and hands-on experiences that make environmental action tangible and personal.

When students use the Debris Tracker app to document pollution, they’re not just collecting data; they’re contributing to scientific research. When they organize community cleanups inspired by stories from The Paper ****** Show, they’re not just copying what they saw—they’re becoming authors of their own environmental narrative. These small actions, multiplied across classrooms and communities, create real impact. “They were excited to learn about resources they can use as citizen scientists to actively help care for the environment right now as children,” shares Alex, a Title 1 elementary school teacher from Charlotte, North Carolina.

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Paper ****** poster. Image: Global Tinker

Looking ahead, we’re applying these proven principles to our next series, Solar Punks, developed with support from the Aspen Institute. The series builds on everything we’ve learned about empowering young people through quality storytelling and real-world action. In Solar Punks, young heroes tackle seemingly insurmountable environmental challenges through small, achievable steps—showing that even the biggest problems become solvable when broken down into actionable pieces. It’s what we’ve seen in classrooms and communities: when children believe they can make a difference, they do.

The next generation won’t engage with environmental issues through outdated educational videos or simple worksheets. They need and deserve content that matches the quality of their favorite media, combined with hands-on experiences that make environmental action real and personal. By bringing together world-class storytelling and practical scientific tools, we’re helping create a generation of environmental leaders who don’t just care about the planet’s future—they’re equipped to protect it.

About the authors 

Olivia (Levenson) Korchagin: Olivia is a multi-award-winning children’s media producer and co-founder at Global Tinker. Global Tinker’s work, ranging from animated series to graphic novels and educational programming, has received awards from the National Science Foundation, Harvard’s Early Education Innovation Challenge, Kidscreen, and MIPTV. Olivia is an inaugural Well-being by Design Fellow at the Joan Ganz Cooney Center, a professional development program aimed at designers and producers of children’s interactive media, focusing on incorporating well-being principles to digital works. She is a graduate of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts.

Sep Riahi: Sep is the CEO of Global Tinker. Previously, he held pivotal roles at Sesame Workshop in New York, Sony Pictures Entertainment in Los Angeles, and Lastminute.com in London, contributing significantly to each organization’s success in children’s education, media production, and e-commerce. Sep is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and holds a graduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania.

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