New York City teenagers have taken on the challenge of inspiring environmental action in a United Nations-backed contest, whose winners will be announced later this week.

A joint initiative of the UN Environment Program (UNEP), the UN Foundation (UNF), the New York City Department of Education, the New York Public Library and others, the "One Planet, Many People" competition asks high school students to create Internet presentations, performances and products.

Winning entries will be announced on May 21, with prizes including college scholarships, attendance at the UNF Youth Leadership Summit on Climate Change and summer internships at the library.

"UNEP is proud to be affiliated with this initiative, and congratulates both the students and teachers for their commitment and hard work, which resulted in an impressive body of work that reveals a high level of environmental awareness," said Amy Fraenkel, director of the agency's Regional Office for North America.

Throughout their spring semester, students from 17 high schools met in classrooms and libraries to work on their projects and had access to UN and library resources.

"This project allowed me to get more in-depth with a topic I knew a little something about," said Pedro Crespo, a 10th grader, whose report focused on globalization. "My view on how the world operates is now different. I now realize that when things happen to people how it influences decisions our politicians make."

(Xinhua News Agency May 20, 2009)