16-year-old Westview HS student’s climate change innovations win national prize

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — At just 16 years old, Westview High School student Anisha Dhoot is making waves nationally for her innovative work combating climate change.

Anisha is the winner of the 2025 Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes, an award recognizing outstanding young leaders across the U.S. and Canada.

Her project, called Smart Carbon Recycling, addresses two pressing global issues: soil degradation and climate change.

Anisha developed KelpNutriBoost, a low-cost fertilizer made from Oregon coast seaweed.

“I figured out that kelp grows really fast and sequesters carbon from the atmosphere quickly,” she explained.

She combined it with biochar — a type of charcoal created from recycled plastic and treated sewage — to restore damaged soil and improve crop yields.

But her work doesn’t stop there.

Anisha also built Earth-AI, a machine learning tool that predicts the best crops to grow based on local soil and climate conditions.

“AI basically figures out the best plant to grow in any place or soil,” she said.

The AI model, which she taught herself to code through online courses, she said is 99% accurate and accessible via smartphone, a potential game-changer for small farmers in developing countries.

Beyond technology, Anisha is dedicated to raising climate education in schools and addressing food insecurity.

“As a community, if we all work together, we can actually make a real impact,” she said.
She organizes fundraisers and distributes her fertilizer to local farms in her free time.

“I can’t wait to see what comes next,” Anisha added, reflecting on her journey.

Anisha was chosen as one of just 15 Barron Prize winners from hundreds of nominees.
Along with the honor, she received $10,000 to continue her work.

The Barron Prize has more information about all of this year’s winners across the country.