Negative Population Growth Awards $50,000 in Student Scholarships

The contest, part of the group's Youth Outreach Program, tasked high school and undergraduate participants with identifying three specific areas of American life hindered by rapid growth. Graduate students provided more extensive analysis, including their perspectives on an ideal population size for the country. Entries were evaluated on their ability to propose practical solutions for long-term environmental and resource stability.

Anthony DesRois of Regis College received the $3,500 Edwin S. Rubenstein NPG Memorial Scholarship, the top honor for the undergraduate division. In the graduate category, Breanna Wixted from the University of Colorado claimed the $5,000 Donald W. Mann Memorial Scholarship for Population Studies. Other notable recipients included Ava Moczarski and Ruby Spurlock, who were each awarded $2,500, alongside Jenef Allotey and Dmitriya Minkin, who secured $3,500 and $3,000 graduate awards respectively. A dozen additional students across both divisions received $2,000 grants to assist with tuition expenses.

Since 1972, the Alexandria-based organization has advocated for a national policy aimed at stabilizing the U.S. population at levels significantly lower than current figures. Through these annual awards and collaborations with educators nationwide, the group seeks to influence public discourse on sustainability and resource management.