We are the ReGeneration - What are your 4Rs?
Join youth and families across Alameda County in sharing your unique and personal stories of action that represent how you are part of the ReGeneration. Together we can take collective action to share the thriving, irresistible future we all envision for ourselves and for our communities.
Choose a storytelling medium (i.e. reuse art, visual art, performing arts, creative writing, or mixed media) to showcase your actions and impact! Whether you embrace the 4Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rot) or create your own “R” words, let your actions shine and inspire others!
What is the ReGeneration?
The ReGeneration is a collective identity for taking action to build toward the beautiful, healthy world we want to live in. Do you educate your school community or your family on how to sort properly? Do you make sure your waste makes it into a bin and doesn't end up as litter? How do you take action upstream and not create waste in the first place?
This is your chance to creatively share your 4Rs or climate action story and spark new ideas for positive change!
Get Inspired
Explore these resources to help you get started.
Resource List
What Are Your 4Rs Activity Page
Contest Tips and Best Practices
We Are the ReGeneration: Climate Action Storytelling
We Are the ReGeneration is more than a program—it's an intergenerational movement. Students and families become part of a collective identity committed to rebuilding a regenerative earth, documenting their actions through creative storytelling. The Concept The ReGeneration reframes how we think about environmental action. Rather than focusing on what divides generations, it positions everyone—students, parents, grandparents—as part of the same movement to create a healthy world for everyone. As one East Bay parent put it: "Together we can support a ReGenerative ReCovery by ReThinking what is
Accordion
Requirements and Criteria
- Highlight how you take action to reduce or prevent waste. Your artist statement is just as important as your art!
- Promote environmental awareness of the 4Rs or choose your own “R”s that spotlight upstream solutions to preventing waste in the first place.
- Showcase yourself and how you are part of the Regeneration – a collective identity for people committed to rebuilding a regenerative earth.
- Get creative and share your story in any medium you choose in visual arts, performing arts, literary arts, culinary arts, and more!
- All participants must sign a photo release and maintain appropriate school media guidelines.
- Multiple submissions in all categories are allowed but not all entries may receive an award.
- Individuals can submit an entry even if they are also included in a separate group entry.
- An individual is defined as one single person submitting an entry.
- A group is defined by a class, family or club with one mail point of contact acting as a main liaison.
- Usage of copyrighted material is prohibited.
We strongly encourage participants to consider the highest and best use of chosen materials and give a second life to materials or items that are already heading to the landfill.
- Reuse Art like transforming found objects into art, etc.
- Visual Art like illustrations, comic books, photography, etc.
- Performing Arts like songs, skits, etc.
- Creative Writing like spoken word, poetry, creative or persuasive essays, etc.
- Mixed Media like a collage, board game, etc.
Individual 2nd Place: $100
Individual 3rd Place: $50
Group 1st Place: $200
Group 2nd Place: $150
Group 3rd Place: $100
Overall Grand Prize: $300
How to Enter the Contest
- Choose your storytelling medium, your 4Rs, and get creating!
- Write your artist statement. This is just as important as your art!
- Download and sign the photo release form (English or Spanish)
- Select an art category for your submission
- Submit online by Monday, May 4, 2026
- If you have trouble uploading your submission(s) or photo release form(s), you can email it to schools@stopwaste.org.