Nominations open for Planet Forward Storyfest Awards

Deadline: 15-Jan-2027

The Planet Forward Storyfest Awards recognize outstanding student storytelling on environmental innovation and positive solutions for the planet. The competition invites students to submit published stories that explore environmental challenges, innovative ideas, and breakthroughs that can contribute to positive change. Categories include short video, social video, written story, and multimedia story. Six grand prize winners will receive an opportunity to join a seven-night, eight-day expedition to Alaska with National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions. The Planet Forward Storyfest Awards provide a platform for student storytellers to highlight environmental innovation and explore important topics affecting communities and the planet. The competition values storytelling that demonstrates: Students can submit stories in different formats, allowing participants to showcase environmental storytelling through video, written work, or multimedia.

Participants can submit published stories in categories including

Each category provides an opportunity for students to present environmental topics through a creative storytelling format. Eligible stories should focus on environmental themes and innovations that can contribute to a more sustainable future.

Topics include:

Stories should explore ideas, innovations, or breakthroughs that have the potential to drive positive change for the planet. The Storyfest Awards recognise storytelling that combines strong content with creative presentation.

Submitted stories should demonstrate:

The competition provides students with an opportunity to use storytelling to make environmental innovation more accessible and engaging. Six grand prize winners will receive a seven-night, eight-day expedition voyage to Alaska.

The expedition will travel through:

The expedition is operated by National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions. Grand prize winners will travel alongside expert naturalists during the expedition. The experience will also include visits to local communities that have deep connections with nature and culture. The expedition provides winners with an opportunity to experience Alaska’s natural environment while learning from experts and engaging with communities connected to the region. The competition is open to eligible post-secondary students.

Entrants must:

Eligible stories must be submitted on PlanetForward.org between: Applicants should ensure that their stories are submitted within this period. Participants can submit published stories in the competition’s listed formats, including short video, social video, written story, and multimedia story. The submitted work should focus on an environmental topic, innovation, idea, or breakthrough relevant to the competition’s themes. The Planet Forward Storyfest Awards provide students with an opportunity to use journalism and storytelling to highlight environmental innovation.

Participants can

The competition combines environmental storytelling with an experiential prize that connects winners with Alaska’s natural environment and local communities. The Planet Forward Storyfest Awards recognize outstanding student storytelling focused on environmental innovation, ideas, and breakthroughs that can contribute to positive change for the planet. Post-secondary college or university students can participate, as well as students who are within six months of graduation at the time of entry. Entrants must be at least 18 years old. Students can submit published stories in categories including short video, social video, written story, and multimedia story. Eligible themes include food systems, water conservation, energy innovation, sustainable mobility, the built environment, biodiversity, public health, and climate justice. The competition recognises stories that demonstrate creativity, factual accuracy, and exploration of underrepresented topics or communities while highlighting environmental ideas and innovations. There are six grand prize winners. Each grand prize winner receives a seven-night, eight-day expedition voyage to Alaska. The expedition will visit Alaska’s Inside Passage, Endicott Arm, and Prince Rupert. Yes. Winners will travel alongside expert naturalists and visit local communities with deep connections to nature and culture. Stories must be submitted through PlanetForward.org. Stories can be submitted between 1 May 2026 and 15 January 2027. The Planet Forward Storyfest Awards 2026–27 offer post-secondary students an opportunity to use storytelling to highlight environmental innovation, important environmental challenges, and solutions capable of creating positive change. Students aged 18 and above can submit published work in formats including short video, social video, written story, and multimedia story. Six grand prize winners will receive a seven-night, eight-day expedition to Alaska, where they will travel with expert naturalists and visit communities closely connected to the region’s nature and culture. For students interested in environmental journalism, storytelling, sustainability, and innovation, the Storyfest Awards provide an opportunity to showcase creative work while competing for a unique educational and expedition experience. For more information, visit Planet Forward.