Planet Forward
Effective environmental and science communication is needed now more than ever. Planet Forward, a project created by Middlebury Alum Frank Sesno ‘77 and hosted at the George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs, teaches, celebrates, and rewards environmental storytelling by college students.
Middlebury StoryFest Finalists!
Check out stories from Midd’s 2026 StoryFest finalist:
- Essay | Argentina’s glacier law under fire: Fifteen years after a global first by Shayah Kosak ‘27
- Translating a foreign landscape: Reflections from Patagoniaby Will Hinkle ‘26
How can you get involved?
Share your stories
The Planet Forward Storyfest Awards highlight the voices of students, seeking to understand and illuminate their own innovations for how to best care for the earth. Stories that inspire, motivate, and drive change. Stories that are compelling, thought-provoking, and vibrantly stimulating.
Become a Planet Forward Correspondent
Planet Forward Correspondents post their stories and work closely with staff to highlight compelling characters and innovative ideas and determine how best to present these stories.
As a correspondent, you will have:
-
Featured Stories
Submit 4 stories during the school year featured on planetforward.org. One story will be entered in Storyfest;
-
Travel Grant
Receive a travel grant to the April Planet Forward Summit at the George Washington University in Washington, D.C.
-
VIP Access
Enjoy VIP access at the Planet Forward Summit and other events.
-
Correspondent Lunch
Attend a private correspondent lunch with former CNN Washington Bureau Chief and Planet Forward Founder Frank Sesno.
-
Workshop & Opportunities
Access storytelling workshops, leadership opportunities, and mentorship from Planet Forward’s experienced media team.
I’ve always enjoyed telling stories and taking photos, but until I learned about Planet Forward, they were simple hobbies I mostly kept to myself. Through Planet Forward, I’ve found an outlet that brings together my love of storytelling and photography with my field of study, geography, allowing me to write about the environment while receiving professional help to craft engaging stories that reach a wide audience. More importantly, I’ve met and learned from many other passionate storytellers, each one inspiring me to continue exploring and writing about our world and those who seek to protect it.
–– Shayah Kosak ‘27, Planet Forward Correspondent | Middlebury College
Become an Indigenous Correspondent
The Ilíiaitchik: Indigenous Correspondents Program (ICP) is entirely led by Indigenous mentors and offers one-on-one feedback from Indigenous writers, journalists, and media producers to our student correspondents.
Read the ICP 2022-23 Annual Report here.
Utilize the Planet Forward Storytelling Toolkit
The Storytelling Toolkit is designed to introduce you to the core communication pillars of format, structure, and aesthetics and to guide you towards mastering the communicative techniques that will make your story resonate with an audience.
Planet Forward Pillar Schools
