Community Change Projects

Scholars turn ideas into real projects that make a difference—in their schools, communities, and beyond. Each project starts with an issue that matters to them and grows into real change.

What is a Community Change Project?

Scholars engage community members to create a project that makes a meaningful difference for a relevant need. Over the course of the program year, they’ll engage in sessions, workshops, activities and assignments that are designed to build and strengthen their leadership skills.

Scholars are supported along the way through coaching from educators and mentors, training alongside peers, and $1,000 in seed funding for their project.

Many projects inspire new student leaders who keep the work going long after the Scholar year ends.

Finding Your Big Idea

At the start, Scholars wrestle with big questions:

What am I passionate about?
Who am I in relation to my community?
What needs do I see around me?
What would lasting change look like?

Through this discovery process, Scholars engage with community members to identify the most pressing needs and the most promising solutions.

Issues Scholars Take On

Through their Community Change Projects, Scholars have tackled big issues such as:

mental health awareness
civic engagement
STEM education
environmental issues
and more!

2024 Bezos Scholar Community Change Projects

Nine months of teamwork, grit, and creativity turned into real impact across diverse issues. Explore the 13 youth-led Community Change Projects from the 2024 Cohort.

Read the announcement post

WAVE (Wellness, Activity, Vitality and Engagement)

Launched in 2024 by Olivia Farmer

WAVE (Wellness, Activity, Vitality and Engagement) Project Focus: Bridging the digital divide for older adults. Target Audience and Location: The 50-year-old or older community that accesses the Friendship Center, a senior community center in the Wayne-Westland area of Michigan. Vision: A community where older adults engage in meaningful connections so that they experience a fulfilling […]

South African Ideas Festival – Ideas Worth a Shot

Launched in 2024 by Abdelkarim Ben Fraj, Amani Nyonyoozi Tumusiime, Helena Appakouo Dogo, Tatenda Shamiso Mazambani, Kashimani Simasiku, Nandi Mgwaba

South African Ideas Festival – Ideas Worth a Shot Founding History: Since 2011, the Bezos Scholars Program has cultivated a committed partnership with the African Leadership Academy (ALA) in Johannesburg, South Africa. ALA draws students from all over Africa, and every year, we collaborate to select a small team of students, and one educator tasked […]

R.I.S.E (Resources for Inclusive Support and Empowerment)

Launched in 2024 by Evan Negron

R.I.S.E (Resources for Inclusive Support and Empowerment) Project Focus: Mental health. Target Audience and Location: Students in the Freeport High School Community who are suffering from anxiety, stress or depression in Freeport, New York. Vision: A healthy, accepting and loving community where every individual, regardless of background, has equitable access to the wellness resources and […]

Rights in Reach

Launched in 2024 by Lizzie Casaleno

Rights in Reach Project Focus: Disability rights. Target Audience and Location: Students with 504s and Individualized Education Plans within the Cobb County area of Atlanta, Georgia. Vision: All teachers meet the needs of students with disabilities in the classroom so that they feel prioritized and included in the education system. Mission: To provide educators with […]

Project O.T.T.E.R. (Optimizing Talent in Technology, Engineering, and Readiness)

Launched in 2024 by Albert Westbrook

Project O.T.T.E.R. (Optimizing Talent in Technology, Engineering, and Readiness) Project Focus: Representation in engineering fields. Target Audience and Location: Low-income African American high school students in the Dallas Independent School District in Dallas, Texas. Vision: Students have access to academic and extracurricular resources to transform their lives and positively impact their communities through economic mobility […]

Pathways to Possibility

Launched in 2024 by Kahlial Lofquist

Pathways to Possibility Project Focus: Career readiness for students with physical disabilities. Target Audience and Location: Students with physical disabilities, ages 14 to 18, who live in the Portland, Oregon, metro area. Vision: Students with physical disabilities will confidently advocate for themselves in the hiring process so that they can thrive in the workforce. Mission: […]

LEAP (Literacy Enhancement & Advancement Project)

Launched in 2024 by Amy Zhou

LEAP (Literacy Enhancement & Advancement Project) Project Focus: Early childhood literacy. Target Audience and Location: Kindergarten through 3rd grade students enrolled in the after-school program at Southside Preparatory Academy identified as having low English proficiency in Miami, Florida. Vision: Students have a joyful and supportive experience learning English so that they can thrive and have […]

IMPACT (Inclusive Muslim Program for Awareness, Community, and Tolerance)

Launched in 2024 by Kamar Sati

IMPACT (Inclusive Muslim Program for Awareness, Community, and Tolerance) Project Focus: Muslim student belonging and inclusion. Target Audience and Location: Muslim students in the Anoka-Hennepin school district in Minnesota. Vision: School communities understand and honor Muslim students’ needs so that all students feel welcomed and valued. Mission: To engage school staff and faculty in how […]

Hands of Hope

Launched in 2024 by Rayana Ba

Hands of Hope Project Focus: Lifesaving skills and alternative higher education pathways. Target Audience and Location: High school students in Jersey City, New Jersey. Vision: A future where every student is trained in CPR, enhancing community safety and career opportunities. Mission: To equip Jersey City high school students with lifesaving skills through CPR training and […]

Finanzas Sin Fronteras (Finances Without Borders)

Launched in 2024 by Hanna Corona

Finanzas Sin Fronteras (Finances Without Borders) Project Focus: Financial literacy. Target Audience and Location: High school students who Woodrow Wilson High School in East Los Angeles, California. Vision: A future where every student is equipped with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to make informed financial decisions and build a path to long-term financial success. Mission: […]

EDUnity

Launched in 2024 by Brissia Lopez Castro

Project Focus: Parent education to improve college access. Target Audience and Location: Immigrant parents of Baltimore City High School students in Baltimore, Maryland. Vision: All immigrant families actively support their children in accessing higher education so that students feel empowered to make decisions about their future. Mission: To provide a structured affinity program that offers monthly social gatherings and […]

Comfort Crew

Launched in 2024 by Angelica Mejia

Project Focus: Period Poverty Target Audience and Location: Low-income menstruating students at John I. Leonard High School in Greenacres, Florida. Vision: The financial strain and stigma caused by menstruation does not exist so all students can learn and thrive. Mission: Through advocacy efforts, partnerships, and donations, we ensure that all students have reliable, free access to menstrual supplies at […]

Asian American HOPE (Health, Outreach, Prevention, Engagement)

Launched in 2024 by Jenny Au, Anna Park

Mission: To connect trusted, low-cost mental support services to Asian Americans facing barriers to accessing them by building partnerships and providing culturally relevant information and resources.

2024 Continuing Projects

This year, we are thrilled to celebrate the continuation of 22 Community Change Projects, each founded by previous Bezos Scholars. These projects represent innovative and creative solutions to community needs, and their continued growth highlights the dedication and impact of the student leaders who move them forward.

Read the announcement post