By ONME Newswire
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), recognized two California student group recipients – based in Solana Beach and Ventura -- of the 2024 President’s Environmental Youth Award (PEYA).
“We are delighted to celebrate and recognize the remarkable contributions of educators and students across our country,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “Our awardees exemplify commitment to environmental education and steadfast leadership in taking creative and innovative approaches to protect human health and tackle climate change. To the awardees, we extend our sincere appreciation for your unwavering dedication to environmental stewardship – we look forward to seeing what you accomplish next.”
“Environmental stewardship often begins in the classroom with young people and educators who are taking our planet’s most pressing climate change and environmental justice challenges head on,” said White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory. “This year’s awardees represent passionate and dedicated leaders who are tackling the climate crisis, improving public health, and delivering a more equitable future for all.”
The California winners are:
Go Greenish – Solana Beach, CA
Go Greenish is a youth-led environmental organization in the San Dieguito High School District (SDHSD) working to bridge student empowerment and sustainability through policy, advocacy, and research. Powered by passionate student volunteers, Go Greenish implements and/or funds school site projects and guides the development of positive district policies by equipping students with resources to fight climate change and giving them opportunities to volunteer. Go Greenish has led the initiative to introduce blue and green bins to thirteen schools in SDHSD by the end of 2024, and has established a standing climate committee of students from multiple high schools throughout the district. The organization now boasts 150+ volunteers across 10 school districts and has cultivated two handbooks guiding students across California and the United States on environmentally friendly district policy implementation and site projects.
EnvironMound Club – Ventura, CA
While on a trip to an airport museum, fourth graders Paloma Alpern, Sophia Kuipers, Oscar Smith, and Ivan Kuipers discovered the hidden ecological hazard of lead pollution from small aircraft emissions in their community. They began researching the problem, talked to local pediatricians, and then took action in their school and community by starting an awareness campaign and forming an environmental club at their school. As part of the EnvironMound Club, students have created and installed battery recycling containers at the school, and are in the process of expanding their campaign to promote environmental stewardship and reduce the amount and effects of lead pollution in their community.
Background
The PEYA award program was established by the Environmental Education Act of 1970 and recognizes outstanding community-level environmental projects by K-12 youth. Each year, EPA honors a variety of local projects developed by students, school classes, summer camp attendees, and youth organizations that promote engagement in environmental stewardship and protection.
This year, 29 students nationwide who worked as a team or individually on 13 projects are receiving the President’s Environmental Youth Award. Their stewardship projects, conducted in 2023, demonstrate the students’ commitment and success in advancing community garden efforts, addressing environmental justice concerns, reducing pollution, conserving water and energy, reducing food waste, and combating climate change while also effectively encouraging the involvement of people in their communities.