What if high school students could take the lead in tackling global challenges? Storm King School juniors Luis G. ’26 and Ethan W. ’26 are doing just that by raising awareness and driving action on climate change and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) issues. Their innovative project, EcoVision, is a student-led startup dedicated to sustainability and promoting responsible practices both within the SKS community and beyond.

EcoVision was born from a conversation with one of their teachers about ESG issues. “We realized we wanted to make a real impact and saw an opportunity to engage people both locally and globally,” says Luis. “Our goal is to provide tools that help people reduce their carbon footprint and make sustainable choices.”

Their flagship project, CarbonApp, is an interactive app that helps users track their carbon footprint with charts and timetables. It will also offer resources on responsible consumerism, eco-friendly travel, and supporting social causes through donations. “We’re not just offering data—we want users to take action,” says Ethan, the creator of the app. According to Ethan, the beta version of CarbonApp is set to launch in January 2024.

Ethan: This experience is crucial for my future career as an engineer or a scientist. I learned how to coordinate with other people, how to learn a skill quickly (in this case, Swift programming language), and the importance of having a timeline. Most importantly, it shows me how the real world works. 

Beyond the app, Luis and Ethan have also created a website for their initiative which they presented at a recent All-School Meeting. “What started as a brief conversation has now turned into a real startup, and we’re fully committed to making it a success,” explains Luis. “We want to be future leaders in the ESG field while gaining valuable, real-world experience.”

Luis: I want to be a “showstopper” and contribute with my best to a better future for all of us. That’s how our conversation about ESG got started. Most importantly, EcoVision is giving me real experience in owning a startup with a great cause behind it.

Luis and Ethan’s EcoVision project is a powerful example of youth leadership, showing how the combination of innovation and action can address global challenges and help pave the way for a more sustainable future. “This is just the beginning,” says Ethan. “With EcoVision, we’re excited to provide people with tools that can make a tangible impact on the planet.” Kudos to these young entrepreneurs who have promised to keep the SKS community informed of the project’s progress.