Connecticut 7th Grader Wins Grand Prize in Youth Social Website Rocket21 & Captain Planet Foundation Dream Green Contest
Recently OMG founders Olivia and Carter were invited to enter a contest hosted by the folks at Rocket21. The contest was designed to showcase some of the amazing work kids are doing in their effort to help clean up our environment. Connecticut 7th Grader Tommy Whiteley was selected as Grand Prize Winner for his ideas on how artificial ice flows could save polar bears who risk
drowning on marathon swims caused by vanishing ice. Tommy and his family joined environmentalist and media titan Ted Turner, Oceanographer Sylvia Earle, Emmy Award Winner Jeff Corwin, and 26x Grammy Winner Alison Krauss as VIP guests at the Captain Planet Foundation Gala, held on Friday, 12.9, at Atlanta’s Georgia Aquarium. (See full press release here)
Additionally, 10 year old Georgia Student Carter Ries and his sister Olivia were selected as Second Place Winners, recognized for a Plastic Awareness Week school curriculum they developed together. Both students are excited to be guests at the Atlanta event. Nine year-old Olivia noted, “This is my first ever Gala … it’s a once in a 
lifetime thing!” Carter added, “I’m so excited to meet the winner! I’m hoping that I meet some famous people too!”
“Rocket21 is about supporting all kids’ dreams, every single day. Together with Captain Planet Foundation we’ve designed a very special opportunity for Rocket21 members to share their ideas for protecting the planet with some of the world’s leading environmentalists.” said Rocket21 President and COO Jodell Seagrave. “No doubt this experience will be a force in shaping their futures.”
Rocket21 provides unprecedented access to world-class experts and organizations while protecting them with a combination of state-of-the-art, real-time filtering and human moderation, extensive safety and security precautions, and a specialized infrastructure designed to keep kids safe.
Olivia and Carter had a blast at the event and even got to meet up with Ted Turner and Captain Planet. Carter really wanted to meet Jeff Corwin and Lauren tried to catch up with Dr. Earle but the place was packed and they 
never did have the opportunity. We wish to thank everyone at Rocket21 and especially Lisa Litsey, Jodell Seagrave and Mark Grayson for their hospitality and support of the work Olivia and Carter are doing. We also wish to thank Laura Turner Seydel and all the folks at the Captain Planet foundation for making the evening such a memorable evening for Olivia and Carter. It opportunities like this that show the kids that their hard work and efforts are truly appreciated.
Congratulations again to Tommy and his entire family for winning the contest and for working so
hard to make a difference. It just goes to show you that “Anybody can make a difference”.
If you would like to learn more about the Plastic Awareness Week curriculum program, please send us an email at info@onemoregeneration.org and we will gladly contact you with all the details. Here is more on the program:
EEA Outdoor Learning Symposium
Thanks again from all of us at OMG 😉
