Michael S. Regan 16th Administrator, United States Environmental Protection Agency | Official Website
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), recognized two California student groups from Solana Beach and Ventura as recipients 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 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 over 150 volunteers across ten school districts and has cultivated two handbooks guiding students across California and the United States on environmentally friendly district policy implementation.
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, 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 battery recycling containers at their school and are expanding their campaign to promote environmental stewardship while reducing lead pollution effects in their community.
The PEYA award program was established by the Environmental Education Act of 1970 to recognize outstanding community-level environmental projects by K-12 youth. Each year, EPA honors various local projects developed by students that promote engagement in environmental stewardship.
This year, 29 students nationwide who worked as a team or individually on 13 projects are receiving the President’s Environmental Youth Award for their efforts conducted in 2023.
To read about the winning projects in detail: PEYA Winners.
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