The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with the White House Council on Environmental Quality, celebrated the 2024 President’s Environmental Youth Award (PEYA) and the Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators (PIAEE) Awards Ceremony today, August 1. This annual event recognizes outstanding youth dedicated to environmental stewardship and teachers who have significantly contributed to environmental education.
“Educators and students across our country make remarkable contributions every day to protect the environment, and it’s an honor to celebrate them today,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “These awardees set the gold standard for environmental education as they implement innovative approaches to protect human health and tackle climate change.”
“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.”
Since 1971, the President of the United States has joined with EPA to recognize young people for protecting the nation's air, water, land, and ecology through the PEYA program. This program honors a wide variety of projects developed by K-12 youth that promote environmental awareness and action in their schools and communities.
Established by the 1990 National Environmental Education Act, the PIAEE program supports and nationally honors outstanding educators who integrate environmental learning into school curricula across the country. The program recognizes elementary and secondary (K-12) education teachers, school administrators, and their local education agencies while providing funding to support their work in environmental education.
To read about the winning projects in detail, visit: President’s Environmental Youth Award winners and Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators winners.
