Fundación Ibercivis, a participant in the European ECHO project, invites schools and ECHO participants acting as Soil Ambassadors to submit entries to the ECHO Soil Challenge – Soil Stories contest. The deadline is 9 November 2026.
The contest encourages work on soil as an essential resource for ecosystems, food security and the climate, through drawings, experiments, videos, podcasts and other creative formats.
A contest to put soil at the centre
ECHO Soil Challenge – Soil Stories combines creativity, scientific experimentation and science communication so that classrooms and citizens can explore soil from their own perspective. Entries must be based on the ECHO sampling kit or on SoiLab for Teens, the project’s educational tool for hands-on activities in schools, although they can be freely reinterpreted.
Categories and participation
There are four categories: children aged 6 to 10, children aged 11 to 13, young people aged 14 to 19, and ECHO participants acting as Soil Ambassadors. Three winning projects will be selected in each one.
In the first three categories, the entry is submitted by the teacher on behalf of their class or group. Entries may be in Spanish or in English; audiovisual entries must include English subtitles. To protect the privacy of minors, entries must not include images, recordings or full names that could identify them. The call is open to applicants based in Spain and eight other countries.
Dates and recognitions
The jury’s decision will be announced on 16 December 2026, and a final webinar with the winning projects will take place on 15 January 2027. Winners will receive an official certificate, present their work at the webinar and have the chance to chat with an ECHO expert. Their project will also be published on the ECHO website and social media channels.
A jury from the ECHO consortium, with expertise in education, science communication and soil science, will assess the creativity, scientific accuracy and educational impact of each entry.
How to participate
The full rules, accepted formats and the entry form are available on the contest page on the ECHO website. For inspiration, see SoiLab for Teens and the ECHO educational resources.