Small actions really can add up when people work together to create change. We just wrapped up a record-breaking year of the Small Steps, Big Wins Campus Challenge, which is made possible through the support of our Founding and Environment Partner, Alcoa Foundation, and our Community Partner, Newman’s Own Foundation.

In this international competition, students compete to take the most social and environmental actions. This year's participants completed more than 110,000 actions, reduced 370,000 pounds of CO2, and raised more than $21,000 for nonprofit organizations. Talk about huge impact! Let’s take a closer look at some of the students who took their small steps one step further.

Yingzi W. Pennsylvania State University

Action: Volunteering

Yingzi volunteered with Helping Hands, a community center in Oklahoma, to rebuild houses destroyed by a tornado that hit Shawnee, Oklahoma in May of 2013.

Steph V. University of Guelph

Action: Speaking Up for a Cause

Steph wanted to show her peers the grave situation that homeless youth face every day, so she slept outside in the snow for five days to raise awareness for at-risk youth.

Hugo A. California State University Chico

Action: Volunteering

This spring Hugo teamed up with Grid Alternative, a nonprofit organization that brings solar technology to low-income communities, to install solar panels for local families.

We saw plenty of other noteworthy actions as well. Led by Alexandra W., a group at Boston University handed out reusable mugs to cut down on waste from paper cups. And Samantha C. from Marywood University organized an event on campus for people to shred old papers and textbooks.

The Small Steps, Big Wins Campus Challenge will return again this fall. Stay tuned for the launch date by liking the Small Steps, Big Wins Campus Challenge Facebook page.

Small Steps, Big Wins is made possible through the support of our Founding and Environment Partner, Alcoa Foundation, and our Community Partner, Newman’s Own Foundation.