Status
Challenge Status: Challenge is Active. This challenge is part of the Junior Academy and not open for general application.
Application Status: Open to Junior Academy Members
Key Dates
Challenge Begins: 02/23/2026
Challenge Closes: 04/26/2026
Solutions Due By: 04/26/2026
Winners Announced: 05/20/2026
Eligibility
- This challenge is only open to Junior Academy students from the USA and countries in the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region. Mentors can be from any country.
- Maximum of six (6) students per team, plus one (1) mentor.
Overview
Adolescence can be an exciting time of incredible growth and development. It can also bring extra responsibilities, added stresses, and complicated social situations that can be detrimental to mental well-being and put young people at risk for developing mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety. A multitude of factors can compound risk, such as individual genetics and additional traumas. Solutions for preventing, recognizing and coping with stress and mental health conditions exist, but are not always accessible or familiar. Young people and their families may not be familiar with options that exist, or may not know how to access solutions and support. How could you take a public health approach to increase adolescent well-being and/or help young people access mental health support when they need it?
Challenge
Design an innovative public health solution that promotes overall mental health and well being amongst adolescents.
Consider the following when designing your solution:
- What mental health challenge will you address?
- Healthy choices for mental well-being
- Stress management and perceived or real pressure?
- One or more components of mental well-being?
- A specific step such as awareness, prevention, or detection?
- Environmental impacts such as trauma, unstable home environments, or social media?
- Technology impacts such as social media, smart phones, or artificial intelligence (AI)?
- Something else?
- How can you include youth voices and perspectives in designing your solution?
- How can your solution empower adults (caregivers, teachers, community members, etc.) to play an active role and provide resources and expertise?
- How will your solution make mental health resources more accessible?
- How will your solution address equity issues in mental health?
- How might you integrate community co-design into your solution?
- How might your solution be scaled to impact other regions or other countries?
- How might your solution reduce stigma around mental health challenges or conditions? How will it change social norms?
- Who will your solution target or empower?
- Adolescents?
- Parents and caregivers?
- Community members such as teachers, medical professionals, or neighbors?
- Other adolescents such as peers and friends?
- How will your solution contribute to increasing overall well-being for adolescents?
- How might your solution address mental health challenges in your own community or region? How could it be scaled to work in other communities or regions?
- What political or social structures could be addressed to support your solution?
See the challenge course syllabus.
Success Evaluation Criteria
Solutions will be judged based on the following criteria:
- Innovation and Design Thinking: Is the design and approach unique and/or innovative? Does the design show a high degree of originality and imagination?
- Scientific Quality: Are the appropriate references and analytical methods used and are the insights derived correctly?
- Presentation Quality: Is this concept concisely and clearly explained? Are the findings/recommendations communicated clearly and persuasively?
- Commercial Viability/Potential: Does the solution have the potential to make a difference?
- Sustainability: What is the social impact on local communities? How does the solution incorporate positive environmental or social objectives? Is the solution in line with a sustainable or justice focused future?
- Teamwork and collaboration: Was the experience a collaborative endeavor? Was the knowledge gained from the experience reflected upon and tied back to a civic engagement mindset? (From Personal Reflections)
See the challenge rubric.
Sponsors
The Junior Academy is implemented by The New York Academy of Sciences and is supported by the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (JCSVEI). JCSVEI is a U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs program administered by the Aspen Institute.