Ivan "Sito" Rodriguez

Ivan "Sito" Rodriguez is a student at East High School in Columbus, Ohio, and the founder of Project Pollinator, a youth-led nonprofit initiative that transforms vacant lots and neglected spaces across Columbus into native gardens and pollinator-friendly habitats.

Growing up in a neighborhood marked by vacant lots and underused spaces, Sito didn't just see problems — he saw raw material for something beautiful and necessary. In 2025, he entered the National Geographic Slingshot Challenge with an idea he called "Pollinated by You!" — a vision for creating urban insect reserves in empty lots and highway medians to address declining pollinator populations. His entry earned a Significant Achievement Award, putting a national spotlight on his community-driven solution and the potential of youth-led environmental action.

That recognition sparked something bigger. "Pollinated by You" evolved into Project Pollinator — a full-fledged initiative grounded in the core insight that the decline of native pollinators and the presence of neglected urban land are not separate crises, but two halves of one solution. By planting native Ohio species in forgotten corners, Sito is bringing back the butterflies and bees while giving his neighbors something to take pride in.

With the support of adult mentors, community organizations, and fellow students, Sito is building a model that other young people in other neighborhoods can follow. The heart of Project Pollinator remains what it was from the start: a young person responding creatively and constructively to the environmental and neighborhood challenges in his own community.