Looking for a rewarding way to engage high school students in the growing world of renewable energy? The annual BioenergizeME Infographic Challenge provides high school students an opportunity to combine research, graphic design, and social media to learn about bioenergy and share their knowledge. This year’s challenge will begin Sept. 30, and end with the selection of the winners in the spring of 2016.

The champions from last spring—a team of five freshmen from the Williamsburg High School for Architecture and Design in Brooklyn, New York—designed an infographic on the benefits of cellulosic ethanol and were invited as guests to the eight annual conference, Bioenergy 2015, in Washington, D.C. At Bioenergy 2015, the Bioenergy Technologies Office recognized the students before an audience of hundreds of bioenergy experts, decision makers, stakeholders, and media members for their dedicated effort on the winning infographic. The students were able to discuss their work and future aspirations with bioenergy experts. While in the nation’s capital, the students and their chaperones spent four days with the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy staff, received a personal tour of the Library of Congress’s Science Reading Room, explored the science-based Smithsonian museums, and visited the U.S. Capitol Building.

Following the team’s success, the Williamsburg High School for Architecture and Design has begun work to create a student-run sustainable fuels club, partnering with local institutions to establish links between food waste and renewable energy. With heightened interest in renewable energy through the BioenergizeME Infographic Challenge, last year’s winning team is already planning to compete in this year’s challenge to defend their title.

Going into its third run, the spring 2016 BioenergizeME Infographic Challenge is open to all U.S. high school students (grades 9–12). Under the guidance of a team advisor (typically an educator, parent, or club supervisor), groups of two-to-five students choose from a list of bioenergy prompts to investigate, conduct research on their chosen topics, and develop an appealing and informative infographic explaining their findings.

Teams must register for the competition between Sept. 30, 2015–Feb. 4, 2016; however, they can submit their infographics through March 4, 2016. For the first phase of the competition, teams will need to select research prompts, investigate their chosen topics, develop their infographic design, and submit their finished products. Following initial review, between April 11–22, 2016, students can then compete in the next phase of the competition—a social media campaign designed to promote completed infographics to a large audience.

After the completion of the campaign, the Energy Department’s Bioenergy Technologies Office leadership will choose the winning infographic based on design and accuracy of information.

The Bioenergy Technologies Office wishes to thank the staff who worked hard to prepare for and implement the BioenergizeMe infographic challenges. They are helping to bring the topic of bioenergy to students and educators across the nation and foster the next generation of clean energy experts.

Are you interested in the BioenergizeME competition? Learn how to participate in this year’s challenge by visiting the BioenergizeME Infographic Challenge Web page, or by contacting BioenergizeME@ee.doe.gov for details. You can see all participating infographics from 2014 and 2015 on the BioenergizeME Infographic Challenge Map and from the EERE blog.