Lexus Eco Challenge to Give $500,000 in Grants and Scholarships

The efforts made by the world's automakers to become an active part in saving the planet have long expanded outside their main area of expertise. Most of the biggest players on the market are active participants in several student programs currently running in the US, aimed at challenging the young in finding solutions to the problems facing the world today.

As one of the companies that supported over the years such program, Lexus announced on Friday the end of the fourth annual Eco Challenge, a competition at the end of which participants might qualify for one of the grants or scholarships that year total $500,000. All they had to do was find a solution to one of the eco-challenges we are currently faced with.

This year's top winners, Eco Savers (five students from Clark Magnet High school in La Crescenta, California) and Ladies of the Light (eight students from St. James School in Madison, Wisconsin) were picked for their project in educating the community about the contamination of lobsters in local and global waters and educating people about renewable energy.

Their hard work will land their schools a grant for $7,000, their advising teachers a $3,000 grant and each of the students $20,000 in scholarships.

“With the terrific entries we saw from these students, it’s very clear that the Lexus Eco Challenge was more than just a science project for them…they were fueled by passion,” said Mark Templin, Lexus group vice president and general manager. “Not only have they improved the environment, they’ve demonstrated that they can change the world. We couldn’t be more proud of all the winning participants.”