International High School Social Impact Conference

Overview

The International High School Social Impact Conference (IHSSIC) is an engaging and inspiring event focused on empowering high school students to create positive change through their nonprofit ventures. IHSSIC provides a platform for young social entrepreneurs to present their social initiatives to a group of hundreds of actively voting audience members from around the world.

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Competition Rules

Team Structure: ‍

- Participants may compete individually or in teams of up to four members.
- Eligible students must be in grades 7–12 during the 2024–25 school year.
- Each team must be registered by a designated team leader, who will be responsible for staying informed about YSIC™ updates and submitting all required competition materials.
- Important: If you want to compete as a team but need help finding teammates, you can join our competition’s Discord server to connect with other participants. The Discord QR code is available in the Contact Us section of this page.
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Trading Rules:

- Each account will start with $1,000,000 in virtual cash.
- Only stocks priced above $3.00 are eligible for trading.
- International stocks, stocks, and bonds are allowed.
- The following are not permitted: ETFs, short selling, margin trading, cryptocurrencies, and other options.
- A maximum of 10% of the portfolio can be invested in a single security (e.g., the most you can invest in AAPL is 10% of your total portfolio).
- Each account must execute at least one trade by the midterm to avoid disqualification.
- All transactions must be recorded, including buy price, sell price, and trade dates.
- To advance to the quarterfinals and semi-finals, portfolios must include at least one ESG-friendly stock.
- There are no brokerage fees in this competition.
- No interest income will be earned on cash balances.
- Halted, restricted, and blocked stocks are unavailable for trading. Any trade confirmed after a stock has been halted will be reversed.
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Prizes:

‍Cash Awards:

Cash prizes are divided between a personal award and an impact implementation fund:

First Place: $1,000 ($500 personal / $500 impact)
Second Place: $750 ($450 personal / $300 impact)
Third Place: $600 ($300 personal / $300 impact)
People’s Choice Impact Award: $650 ($350 personal / $300 impact)

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Impact Implementation Supplement (For Impact Champions):

Winners whose designated impact portion is less than $500 may receive supplemental funding from YEFA to reach the full $500 implementation amount.
Teams may choose to implement their project using only their designated impact portion, without additional funding.
All implementations, regardless of funding amount, will be evaluated equally for Impact Champions qualification.

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‍YEFA Leadership Positions:

Outstanding performers may be invited to join YEFA’s leadership team, contributing to future initiatives and programs.

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‍Recognition Benefits:

All participants:

Receive the Commended Youth Sustainable Investor Award upon successful competition completion.

Semi-finalists:

Earn special certificates recognizing their achievements.

Impact Champions:

Are featured in YEFA’s annual impact report.
Receive an exclusive “Impact Champion” certificate and trophy.
Are highlighted on YEFA’s social media platforms.
Have their implementation stories shared with YEFA’s network.

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‍Impact Champions Program:

Winners who implement and document a meaningful impact project within three months qualify for exclusive benefits:

Wall Street Leadership Recommendation:

Impact Champions receive personalized recommendations from competition judges, which include:

Specific performance highlights.
Quantitative achievement data.
Leadership moment examples.
Impact innovation assessment.
Real-world implementation success.

Each recommendation is tailored based on verified competition achievements and endorsed by industry professionals who serve as judges.

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‍Impact Champions Program (continued):

Fellowship Opportunities:

Impact Champions gain access to exclusive internships with sponsor companies, allowing them to:

Apply competition experience to real-world challenges.
Develop professional skills in finance and sustainability.
Build valuable industry connections.
Create tangible community impact.

Past winners have gone on to prestigious universities, including Harvard, Stanford, and UPenn.

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Overview

Competition Timeline

Timeline

Competition Rules

Prizes:

Impact Implementation Supplement (For Impact Champions):

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Wall Street Leadership Recommendation:

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Fellowship Opportunities:

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