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Student Club Network Cleanup Competition

Host a Cleanup, Log Your Data, Win Prizes!

Surfrider's Club Network is excited to be hosting our 3rd Annual Cleanup Competition to all of our student clubs. The competition will be open from Sept. 3rd 2025 - April 27th, 2026, and students will compete to win prizes for various categories.

In order for your submissions to be valid, each club will be required to log their findings in Surfrider's National Cleanup Database. The minimum data entry requirements include the number of volunteers and total lbs. of trash collected, but you also quantify your plastic findings if you choose to do so (optional but encouraged). Beach cleanups help reduce litter, protect our ocean, and raise awareness about plastic pollution. Contributing to the database will help us to better quantify the true scope of plastic pollution in our environment, which can then be used toward larger state and federal policy goals. 

Sign your club up below to join the competition!

How To Enter

Step 1

Create an account through our National Cleanup Database.* You will be prompted to verify your account via email, so please check your spam folder if it does not show up in your primary inbox. Then, click HERE to register your club for the competition and request a scale.

* If the database does not load through Chrome, please try another brower.

Step 2

Plan your cleanups with your club members, and make sure you fill out our Activity & Event Request form (ideally at least two weeks in advance).  Once you get approval, you are good to go!

For a cleanup to be counted toward the competition, your club must log your findings into the database. Photo submissions for “Weirdest Item Found” and “Best Group Photo” can be emailed directly to Carolyn Curtin (ccurtin@surfrider.org) You may also use the hashtag #surfriderclubcleanup on social media posts!

Step 3

Review the resources below for tips, tricks, and best practices. 

Prizes & Categories 

Prize packs for winning clubs will include one big ticket item as well as a handful of Surfrider swag items. Prizes will be revealed midway through the competition (January).

  • Most Trash Collected (lbs.)

         1st Place: $500 Prize Value 

         2nd Place: $250 Prize Value

  • Raffle Winner (Randomly selected amongst all clubs that submit data. More data entries = more chances to win) 

    $200 Prize Value

  • Best Group Photo
    $200 Prize Value

 

  • Weirdest Item Found 
         $200 Prize Value

 

FAQ

General Competition FAQs

Database Related  FAQs 

 

General Questions: Carolyn Curtin (ccurtin@surfrider.org), 

Database Questions: cleanups@surfrider.org