World:
2018- 2019 Winners
The World of 7 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. Click on a topic below to view the winning videos.
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Contest Judges
| Ali Mohamed Abbas Ahmed | Secretary General, Sudanese Population Network (Khartoum, Sudan) |
| Philip Amaral | Director, European Union Office, Crisis Action (Brussels, Belgium) |
| Colleen Beck | CEO, Seed Aquaponics, LLC (PA) |
| Ashley Binetti Armstrong, Esq. | Dash-Muse Teaching Fellow, Georgetown Law Human Rights Institute (DC) |
| Joy Blackwood | National Wildlife Refuge Association's Urban Refuge Program Director, JLB Consulting (DC) |
| Leslie Bloom | Professor of Educational Leadership, Roosevelt University (IL) |
| Howard Blumenthal | Visiting Scholar, University of Pennsylvania, and Founder, Kids on Earth |
| Gretchen Borchelt | Vice President for Reproductive Rights and Health, National Women's Law Center (DC) |
| Jeanne Braha | Executive Director, Rock Creek Conservancy (DC) |
| Caitlin Burke | Associate Director, Conservation Trust for North Carolina |
| Jessica Castro-Prieto | Caribbean Conservation Coordinator, National Wildlife Refuge Association (DC) |
| Anthony Tirado Chase | Professor of Diplomacy and World Affairs, Occidental College (CA) |
| Andreea Creanga | Associate Professor, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health (MD) |
| Fabrice DeClerck | Science Director, EAT and Bioversity International (Oslo, Norway) |
| Iris DeLoach Johnson | Professor, Mathematics Education, Louisiana State University at Shreveport |
| Ranae DeSantis | Board Member and Philanthropist, Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood (CA) |
| Lynda Deschambault | Environmental Scientist & Educator, Generation Green (CA) |
| Cassandra Etter-Wenzel | Outreach Specialist- Climate Program, World Resources Institute (DC) |
| Karen Evans | Instructor of Teacher Education, University of West Florida |
| Katie Fermin | Senior Program Officer, Cleveland Council on World Affairs (OH) |
| Healy Hamilton | Chief Scientist, NatureServe (VA) |
| Christian Heltne | Vice President of Engagement, E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation (NC) |
| Nina Henderson | Science Instructor, Suncoast Polytechnical High School (FL) |
| Cynthia Hubach | Founder, Hubach Consulting (CA) |
| Patrick J Comer | Chief Ecologist, NatureServe (VA) |
| Joyce Johnson | Producer, Tiroir A Films (CO) |
| Joan F. Kaywell | Professor of English Education, University of South Florida |
| Michella Kippes | Gateway to Technology Teacher, Greenville County Schools (SC) |
| Kelly Korenak | Teacher and Curriculum Developer, University of Massachusetts Boston |
| John M Reilly | Co-Director, MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change & Senior Lecturer in the Sloan School, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MA) |
| DawnElla M. Rust | Health Science Professor, Stephen F. Austin State University (TX) |
| Nick Martlew | Strategy Director, Digital Action (London, U.K.) |
| Carrianne McClellan | Media Coordinator, Cumberland County Schools (NC) |
| Ruth Mead | Education Director, Phinizy Center for Water Sciences (GA) |
| Irene Mudiovo | Communications Officer, Bioversity International (Nairobi, Kenya) |
| Chris Muire | Retired Professor of Science Education, State of Florida |
| Alice Neuhauser | President, Gramarye Media (GA) |
| Rusty Painter | Land Protection Director, Conservation Trust for North Carolina |
| Kathleen Rocco | Education Specialist, Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District (OH) |
| Karen Roos | Environmental Educator, Greenbelt Conservancy (NY) |
| John Seager | President and CEO, Population Connection (DC) |
| Amanda Starbuck | Researcher and Policy Analyst, Food and Water Watch (DC) |
| Sonya Stejskal | Adj. Professor of History, University of Nebraska Omaha, UNA-USA, Lincoln, NE Chapter |
| Rachel Velez | Environmental Justice Organizer, Clean Water for North Carolina |
| Rob Vos | Director of Markets, Trade and Institutions, International Food Policy Research Institute (DC) |
| Keli Wambua | Founder, Pambazuko Partners NGO (Nairobi, Kenya) |
| Ed Wilcox | Watershed Research and Extension Associate, Kentucky State University |
Thank you to all the teachers and students who participated in the 2018-2019 World of 7 Billion student video contest. 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 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 8th year, nearly 14,000 student-made 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 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.