Recover Guyana launches SHOUT4Change in search of Guyana’s next environmental speaker

– winning school will walk away with $4M cash prize

As global advocates observe Earth Day 2026 under the theme “Our Power, Our Planet”, Recover Guyana, in collaboration with the Education Ministry and with support from ExxonMobil Guyana, on Wednesday launched the fourth edition of SHOUT, the National Youth Environmental Speech Competition.
Winners of this year’s competition will receive more than $4 million in cash and prizes.

First launched in 2023, SHOUT encourages participants to think creatively about becoming environmental advocates for sustainability while undertaking major environmental improvements within their schools.
This year’s competition is branded SHOUT4Change and aligns with the global call to empower youth voices to respond to the urgent environmental challenges facing the planet, including climate change, water security, biodiversity, waste management, and renewable energy.
Project Lead for SHOUT, Dr Dave Lalltoo, said that the initiative “is not just about speaking; it is about solutions, and this year we have fully embedded STEM throughout the competition to ensure our young leaders are equipped with the technical skills and critical thinking needed to design real, impactful solutions to Guyana’s environmental challenges, starting right within their own schools and communities.”

Since its inception, SHOUT has grown from a visionary concept into a national movement for youth empowerment, environmental awareness, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) integration, delivered through a strong and strategic partnership with the Ministry of Education.
Assistant Chief Education Officer (Secondary), Sherwyn Blackman, was heartened at the support received, adding, “I’m even happier that it is rooted in STEM. The Ministry of Education, and, of course, by extension, the Government of Guyana, has done quite a lot advocating for the inclusion of STEM and how we can roll it out across the country. But more importantly, how can our young people also take advantage and use those skill sets that they will learn through STEM to actually cause a rippling effect of development or continued development in our country?”
“I’m even more pleased”, he continued, “that this competition is rolled out across all 11 education districts. And I saw students coming up here from some schools that I don’t believe I saw in a competition last year, which means that this competition is gaining the kind of momentum that one would desire, which means that across our country, or secondary schools across the country, our young people are recognising how important their voice is to this competition.”
ExxonMobil Guyana Ltd (EMGL), which has served as the title sponsor of the initiative for the past three years, continues to support youth-led environmental advocacy through SHOUT.

Community Relations Supervisor at EMGL, Ryan Hoppie, said, “As we talk about the environment, we know that they are the brilliant minds in this room that will help us to channel those energies into championing the cause for the environment and the world that we live in. We recognise that important role indeed, and it’s not just about finding an amazing project, but it’s also about the responsibility and the awareness and stewardship that come with developing that project and ensuring that the impact is felt beyond the walls of our schools and into our communities. SHOUT helps us to build the right types of skills and mindsets as well as capabilities, and it’s about encouraging our students to apply that critical thinking capability and the creativity as well as the innovation that addresses the real challenges that we face within our communities. As Guyana continues to develop, these qualities will be essential in building a resilient and sustainable country.”
In addition, Culture, Youth and Sport Minister Charles Ramson Jr, who was the keynote speaker, touched on the adaptability of mankind and how the Shout4Change initiative lends directly to this, especially given the changing world.
“There have been challenges throughout human history for which we have always been able to find a solution. But if we find a solution through our innovation and deliberate focus on finding that solution, all of you are going to enter a world… in which you’re going to face those same kinds of challenges that all of us would have faced before. But the combination of your minds here in Guyana and around the world, the collective effort of your ideas and your minds that emanate from that will be the solution that gives us or will give us the solution that we need to save the world.”
Twenty national finalists were unveiled at the launch, adding a new level of anticipation and enabling earlier engagement, mentorship, and visibility as competitors prepare for the national stage. These finalists represent a diverse and dynamic group of students from secondary schools across Guyana, each bringing unique perspectives and a shared passion for environmental advocacy and innovation.
The SHOUT4Change competition is divided into four phases, with Phases Two, Three and Four scheduled to take place on World Environment Day, June 5, 2026.
Phase Two of the competition will see the finalists advancing to a presentation round, where they will be given 90 seconds to deliver prepared environmental speeches. This phase highlights the advocacy skills and environmental awareness of the selected schools.
Further, Phase Three will feature an impromptu speech competition for the top 10 secondary schools.
The final phase of the competition marks a pivotal stage, in which the top four schools will each answer a single, comprehensive environmental question. The results will determine and crown Guyana’s 2026 National Youth Environmental Speaker.
The top secondary school will receive a $1 million package towards an environmental advancement project and one year of free ONE Fibre internet service, while participation awards will also be presented to the top 20 finalists, and special awards will be given for the best speaker, environmentally impactful presentation, and most influential speech, as well as the Go Green Award.