Announcing SODA’s 2025 Campus Challenge Winners

Written by Ziyan Liu, Student Engagement Intern

The 2025 Campus Challenge was groundbreaking, bringing together a record number of student advocates from high schools, colleges, and graduate schools around the country. United by one mission, raising awareness about organ, eye, and tissue donation, they led with thoughtfulness, creativity, and passion to heal and save lives.

The 2025 Campus Challenge ran from August 20 to November 16 and included 30 competing teams, with four campuses participating in donation advocacy for the first time. Teams earned points by completing activities like registering new donors, hosting education events, and connecting with their Organ Procurement Organization (OPO), all while working toward prizes like $500, trophies, and exclusive merchandise. Throughout the challenge, students brought fresh ideas and energy to donation advocacy, and the true reward is in the awareness they generated.

Check out the full list of point-winning activities here.

Let’s give a round of applause to our 2025 Campus Challenge teams: 

Academy of Arts, Careers, and Technology

Adlai E. Stevenson High School

Amarillo High School

Charlottesville High School

Colleyville Heritage High School

Crosstown High School

Downingtown STEM Academy

Duke University

Homestead High School

Indiana University Indianapolis

Lane Tech College Prep

Manteca High School

Randall High School

Shorewood High School

St. Mary's Ryken High School

Texas Tech University

Townview Health Professions

University of Alabama at Birmingham

University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine

University of Colorado Boulder

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine

University of Massachusetts Amherst

University of Virginia

University of Wisconsin-Madison

Virginia Commonwealth University

Wake Forest University

Warren County Career Academy - Atrium Campus

Warsaw Community High School

West Virginia University

These student-led teams continued to build on a strong legacy, educating 33,642 people about the importance of organ, eye, and tissue donation and registering 493 new donors. That’s a 56% increase in donors registered compared to 2024! 🎉 

The SODA National team is incredibly proud and grateful for each and every student who dedicated time and effort to donation advocacy throughout the challenge.

Please join us in celebrating the winners of our 2025 Campus Challenge:

The high school team in first place and the winner of the “Most Donor Registered” award is: Warren County Career Center - Atrium Campus

For the second year in a row, Warren County Career Center has gone above and beyond, scoring the most points of any high school team and registering the most donors overall. It’s easy to see their team’s dedication to advocacy in the quality of events they hosted for their peers, including the first-ever SODA kickoff week, which focused on educating and registering future medical professionals. The team’s impact was amplified through their school newsletter, which featured a story on Trevor Banks, Chapter President of SODA at WCCC, who shared his passion for donation advocacy with attendees at the 2025 Association for Multicultural Affairs in Transplantation (AMAT) Conference. They also extended their impact beyond campus by visiting Little Miami High School to educate and register students, attending HealthForce, a community event with hundreds of aspiring healthcare professionals, and collaborating closely with Network for Hope. In total, their team educated 13,793 people and registered 192 new donors during the challenge.

The college team in first place is: The University of Colorado Boulder

Another two-time winner, the University of Colorado Boulder, demonstrated what it takes to lead with heart and consistency. Their team stayed active through a mix of education-focused meetings, guest speakers, and hands-on activities that helped introduce new advocates to the donation process. On campus, they hosted multiple interactive registration drives, including a collaborative Eye Donation Month-trivia game in partnership with a CU sorority. Beyond campus, the team strengthened their partnership with Donor Alliance by completing donation training and volunteering at local community events. Together, these efforts led to their team educating 442 people. This recognition reflects their steady presence and thoughtful approach to advocacy!

The graduate school team in first place is: The University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine

At the graduate level, the UAB Heersink School of Medicine demonstrated what it means to be lifelong donation advocates. Their approach centered on thoughtful education and conversation building, including social media outreach and bringing in transplant physicians to speak about the importance of transplantation and donor advocacy within the current landscape in Alabama. The team also invested in training and service, partnering with Legacy of Hope to strengthen future medical professionals’ ability to navigate meaningful donation conversations and supporting DMV appreciation efforts. Through additional presentations on donation, Eye Donation Month activities, and a donor registration drive with a raffle, their team created diverse pathways for engagement. In total, they educated 515 students and registered 101 new donors.

The top Texas-area team: Amarillo High School

Thanks to Donate Life Texas, a generous sponsor of the 2025 Campus Challenge, we’re excited to offer our inaugural award to the Texas-area team with the most points earned. 

Amarillo High School truly embodies the Texas spirit of pride, community, and service. Over the course of the challenge, their team hosted multiple registration and advocacy activities, including a back-to-school event for students and parents, a Coffee Memorial Blood Center partnership event, and a pizza lunch with a community member sharing their organ donation story. They also participated in trainings with LifeGift, engaged students during a blood drive, and registered new donors during a “Coffee and Questions” session. Community engagement extended beyond campus, with a team member riding in honor of the AHS SODA chapter with the Lone Star Circle of Life. Through these diverse advocacy efforts, SODA at AHS educated 487 people and registered 67 new donors.

The success of this year’s Campus Challenge would not have been possible without the passion and dedication of each and every team. Together, they’ve helped spark conversations about the gift of life and have empowered student voices nationwide. 

We’re also incredibly grateful to our 2025 Campus Challenge sponsors, without whom this challenge would not be possible: the Association for Advancing Tissue and Biologics, Association of Organ Procurement Organizations (AOPO), the Eye Bank Association of America (EBAA), Second Chance Fundraising, and Donate Life Texas.

The SODA National team is excited to continue this momentum alongside our outstanding student advocates in 2026!