Community Change Projects

Scholars turn ideas into real projects that make a difference—in their schools, communities, and beyond. Each project starts with an issue that matters to them and grows into real change.

What is a Community Change Project?

Scholars engage community members to create a project that makes a meaningful difference for a relevant need. Over the course of the program year, they’ll engage in sessions, workshops, activities and assignments that are designed to build and strengthen their leadership skills.

Scholars are supported along the way through coaching from educators and mentors, training alongside peers, and $1,000 in seed funding for their project.

Many projects inspire new student leaders who keep the work going long after the Scholar year ends.

Finding Your Big Idea

At the start, Scholars wrestle with big questions:

What am I passionate about?
Who am I in relation to my community?
What needs do I see around me?
What would lasting change look like?

Through this discovery process, Scholars engage with community members to identify the most pressing needs and the most promising solutions.

Issues Scholars Take On

Through their Community Change Projects, Scholars have tackled big issues such as:

mental health awareness
civic engagement
STEM education
environmental issues
and more!

2024 Bezos Scholar Community Change Projects

Nine months of teamwork, grit, and creativity turned into real impact across diverse issues. Explore the 13 youth-led Community Change Projects from the 2024 Cohort.

Read the announcement post

WAVE (Wellness, Activity, Vitality and Engagement)

Launched in 2024 by Olivia Farmer

Mission: To foster community and vitality for older adults by providing accessible and inclusive social programming and technology skill-building training.

South African Ideas Festival – Ideas Worth a Shot

Launched in 2024 by Abdelkarim Ben Fraj, Amani Nyonyoozi Tumusiime, Helena Appakouo Dogo, Tatenda Shamiso Mazambani, Kashimani Simasiku, Nandi Mgwaba

Mission: To inspire young changemakers to create a positive impact in their communities by building leadership skills and providing supportive mentorship.

R.I.S.E (Resources for Inclusive Support and Empowerment)

Launched in 2024 by Evan Negron

Mission: To empower students to co-create effective and accessible wellness resources that promote healthy stress management and mental health support within our community.

Rights in Reach

Launched in 2024 by Lizzie Casaleno

Mission: To provide educators with free and accessible tools to support students with disabilities who require Individualized Education or 504 Plans.

Project O.T.T.E.R. (Optimizing Talent in Technology, Engineering, and Readiness)

Launched in 2024 by Albert Westbrook

Mission: To expose African American students to STEM activities by providing free engineering lessons, student mentoring, and access to national engineering organizations.

Pathways to Possibility

Launched in 2024 by Kahlial Lofquist

Mission: Pathways to Possibility provides mentorship, virtual webinars, and advocacy training to 14 to 18-year-old students with physical disabilities.

LEAP (Literacy Enhancement & Advancement Project)

Launched in 2024 by Amy Zhou

Mission: To nurture young English language learners so that they confidently build their literacy skills by providing consistent after-school tutoring with caring high school volunteers.

IMPACT (Inclusive Muslim Program for Awareness, Community, and Tolerance)

Launched in 2024 by Kamar Sati

Mission: To engage school staff and faculty in how they can meet Muslim student’s needs through education and advocacy.

Hands of Hope

Launched in 2024 by Rayana Ba

Mission: To equip Jersey City high school students with lifesaving skills through CPR training and community outreach while encouraging alternative pathways beyond traditional higher education.

Finanzas Sin Fronteras (Finances Without Borders)

Launched in 2024 by Hanna Corona

Mission: Bridge educational gaps for students by providing opportunities to develop healthy decision-making skills around their personal finances.

EDUnity

Launched in 2024 by Brissia Lopez Castro

Mission: To provide a structured affinity program that offers monthly social gatherings and college resources to students and their families.

Comfort Crew

Launched in 2024 by Angelica Mejia

Mission: Through advocacy efforts, partnerships, and donations, we ensure that all students have reliable, free access to menstrual supplies at school.

Asian American HOPE (Health, Outreach, Prevention, Engagement)

Launched in 2024 by Jenny Au, Anna Park

Mission: To connect trusted, low-cost mental support services to Asian Americans facing barriers to accessing them by building partnerships and providing culturally relevant information and resources.

2024 Continuing Projects

This year, we are thrilled to celebrate the continuation of 22 Community Change Projects, each founded by previous Bezos Scholars. These projects represent innovative and creative solutions to community needs, and their continued growth highlights the dedication and impact of the student leaders who move them forward.

Read the announcement post