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NB ECHO Soil Challenge - Soil Stories
The ECHO Soil Challenge – Soil Stories aims to raise awareness among students, teachers, educators and citizens about the value of soil as a vital resource for ecosystems, food security and climate. It promotes creativity, scientific experimentation, and science communication, while also contributing to the dissemination of the ECHO SoiLab for Teens kit as an educational tool for hands-on school activities.
Categories
The contest has four categories:
- Category 1: children aged 6–10 (primary school)
- Category 2: children aged 11–13 (lower secondary school)
- Category 3: young people aged 14–19 (upper secondary school)
- Category 4: ECHO Soil Ambassador
For each category, 3 winners will be selected.
Who can participate?
For Categories 1-3, submissions must be presented by teachers, professors, or educators on behalf of children or young people aged 6–19. Projects may be developed by classes or groups, under the guidance of the submitting teacher or educator. The teacher or educator acts as the official applicant and contact person, and is responsible for submitting the project, communicating with the ECHO team, and ensuring compliance with the contest rules.
Category 4 is open to people who are involved in the ECHO project as ECHO Soil Ambassador.
Participation in the ECHO Soil Challenge – Soil Stories contest is open to applicants based in the following eligible countries: Italy, Poland, Spain, Scotland, Greece, Romania, Germany, Portugal, Finland.
What can be submitted?
We welcome creative, scientific or educational works developed by classes or groups, under the guidance of the submitting teacher or educator.
Examples of eligible submissions include: drawings, collages, photos, infographics, experiments, educational projects, videos, reels, musical content and podcasts focused on soil.
Submissions should be inspired by the ECHO sampling kit or the SoiLab for Teens but may be freely reinterpreted using different creative approaches and languages.
Only one submission per application is allowed. For Categories 1-3, teachers, professors and educators may submit up to three projects as long as they involve different classes or groups; in this case, the submission form must be completed separately and in full for each project.
Submissions in Categories 1-4 must not include identifiable personal data of minors, including: photos, video recordings, audio recordings, full names or other information that may directly or indirectly identify a minor.
For groups or classes composed exclusively of participants aged 18 or over, audiovisual content (e.g., video recording, reels, audio recording, etc.) is permitted. In such cases, each adult participant will receive and must provide a signed consent form. Consent must be specific and cover: (1) participation in the contest and evaluation process, (2) authorisation for the publication of identifiable content (e.g., images, audio or video recordings) on ECHO digital platforms in the event of selection.
Submissions may be presented in the language of the participating country or in English. For videos, reels, podcasts and musical content produced in the national language, English subtitles or an English translation of the script are required. A brief English summary will also be requested for the submissions.
Format and Length of Submissions
All submissions must be submitted in digital format and comply with the following guidelines:
- Drawings, collages, photographs, infographics: jpg/png/pdf format; maximum size 10 MB; a brief summary of the project in English.
- Experiments, educational projects: pdf format; maximum 3 pages including images/diagrams/charts; the text must describe objectives, methodology, materials used, and results/observations; a brief summary of the project in English.
- Videos, reels, podcasts, musical content: mp4/mp3/wav format; in English or in the national language with English subtitles or translated text; maximum length 5 minutes.
How to apply
Submissions must be made through the online form below.
Supporting materials
For additional inspiration and support, you can consult the following materials:
- SoiLab for Teens (link)
- Educational resources available on the ECHO project website (link)
- Introductory webinar where the ECHO Soil Challenge – Soil Stories aims and specifications will be explained. You can watch it live online or view a recording of the event later. It will be held in English.
Timeline
- Submission opening: March 10, 2026
- Introductory webinar: date will be announced soon, stay tuned!
- Submission deadline: November 9, 2026
- Announcement of winners: December 16, 2026
- Final webinar with winners: January 15, 2027
Evaluation Criteria
Submissions will be evaluated by a jury composed of members of the ECHO consortium with expertise in education, science communication, soil science, and creative communication.
Each project will be assessed using a common evaluation grid (scale 1–5):
- Creativity and originality: ability to present soil in an engaging, innovative, and personal way.
- Scientific accuracy: relevance and quality of the information provided.
- Communication effectiveness and educational impact: clarity, storytelling ability, capacity to engage, explain the value of soil, and inspire sustainable behaviours.
For each category, 3 winners will be selected.
Recognitions
- Official ECHO Soil Challenge Certificate
- Presentation of the project during the final webinar (January 15, 2027)
- Opportunity to organize a virtual “coffee chat” with an ECHO expert
- ECHO project gadgets
- The project will be published on the official ECHO website and shared through social media channels, subject to participants’ consent
For Categories 1-3, only the name of the school or organisation will be published. No personal data of minors or any other identifying information will be disclosed.
For Category 3 submissions involving exclusively participants aged 18 or over, audiovisual content may be published only upon receipt of explicit and documented consent from each adult participant. Such consent must specifically cover both participation in the contest and evaluation process, and authorisation for the publication of identifiable content on ECHO digital platforms in the event of selection. A specific consent form will be shared with the applicants when submitting the project.
For Category 4, which is intended for adults ECHO Soil Ambassadors, identifiable information (such as name, organisational affiliation, image, audio or video recordings) may be published only on the basis of explicit and documented consent covering both participation and publication purposes, from each adult participant.
