United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Communications, Education,
And Public Affairs
.(1707) .
EPA171-F-96-001
1996
The President's
Environmental Youth
Awards
National Winners
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The President's Environmental Youth Awards
Young people in all fifty states and the U.S. territories
are invited to participate in the President's Environmental
Youth Awards Program, which offers them, individually
and collectively, an opportunity to become an environ-
mental force within their community.
The President's Environmental Youth Awards Program
encourages individuals, school classes, schools, summer
camps, public interest groups, and youth organizations to
promote local environmental awareness and to channel
this awareness into positive community involvement.
"Preserving the environment is at the core
of everything we have to do in our own
country...As we renew our environment, we
renew our national community."
President Bill Clinton
Carol M. Browner
EPA Administrator
"Environmental protection begins with
environmental education. Only by learning
how we relate to our environment can we
contribute to making and keeping the world
around us a safer, cleaner place to live".
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Project Examples
On the island of Maui, is an ancient royal
Hawaiian fishpond called Kanaha Pond that had
become overgrown and was being used as a
dump. Six members of Girl Scout Cadette Troop
460 cut overgrown bushes and trees, removed
tons of trash, pulled weeds and reintroduced
native grasses and plants. Native waterfowl
including the rare Hawaiian Stilt have returned to
Kanaha Pond.
In Colorado, Hygiene Elementary School
project SOS-Save our Species-was a year-long
study of wildlife and global habitats of endan-
gered species. They designed and published an
endangered species calendar, a 50-page coloring
book, a conservation newspaper, and ten global
habitat books. Every hallway was converted into
a "hallway habitat" such as an Asian jungle or
coral reef. Over 1,000 people attended their
community environmental festival.
. Future Fanners of America (FFA) members
of Morgan County High School in Georgia
started an environmental awareness program
"Recycle Soon It's Vital to Our'planet (RSVP).'"
They built and continue to operate the first
county-wide recycling center-reducing the amount
of trash in the landfill by 300,000 pounds. They
used the proceeds to construct and
maintain an Outdoor Environmen-
tal Study Area and Classroom. This
area consists of a three-acre
"wildlife habitat" centered around a
once nonexistent, one-acre pond.
They drafted a state resolution,
House Bill No. 168, that was
passed by the State Legislature to
encourage all citizens in Georgia to
recycle and to respect the environ-
ment.
Boy Scout Troop 152 of
Fayetteville, New York worked to
revive a stream erosion abatement
project at the Carpenter's Brook
Fish Hatchery. On week-ends they
camped out on the grounds of the
hatchery and worked in shifts to
construct a dam using natural log materials. The
dam provides food, shelter and living space for
the trout that inhabit the stream.
Kendal Maalea tackles
some of the tangled
brush around Kanaha
Pond
How The Program Works
The program has two components: the
regional certificate program and the national
awards competition. Regional certificates are
awarded by the Regional Offices of the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency. The national
award winners are selected by the Regional
Offices and their recognition program is adminis-
tered by EPA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Regional Certificate Program
The sponsor must complete the attached
application and mail it to the appropriate EPA
Regional Office (see listing on back of brochure).
The regional certificate program is conducted
year-round; therefore, applications for the
regional program can be submitted at any time.
If a project is completed in the regional
component of the program, all participants will
receive certificates signed by the President of the
United States, honoring them for their efforts in
environmental protection
National Awards Competition
One outstanding project from each of the ten
EPA Regions is selected for national recognition.
National individual project winners, or one
representative from a national award-winning
group project, along with one project sponsor,
will be honored by EPA Headquarters, Washing-
ton, D.C.
Application Procedures
Although creativity is encouraged, applica-
tions must conform to the following guidelines:
The sponsor(s) MUST sign and date the
application.
The application must summarize the project in
no less than three and no more than five 8-1 /2 by
11 inch pages, not including supporting materi-
als. These supporting materials may include
mounted photographs, news clippings, and other
supplemental items such as full texts of scientific
papers. Typed (doubled spaced) applications are
encouraged. Applicants should type or write only
on one side of each sheet.
\
Applicants are strongly urged to follow the
specific criteria that the Regional Awards Panel
will use to evaluate applications. (See Judging
Criteria). Because judges cannot visit projects,
students are encouraged to include photographs,
newspaper articles, and other supporting
materials with their applications. This will help
the judging panel to gain a more comprehensive
view of a project.
(Continued on back page)
55
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On a separate sheet of ^aper, attached to the 3-5
page application, list the group name (if appli-
cable), and the names of individuals and ad-
dresses of all project participants and sponsors.
Also list the project name if it has one. The
sponsor's home and work telephone numbers
and signature must appear on this sheet.
Additional participants of
winning projects with
EPA Administrator
Browner and
rice President Core
How To Apply
Eligibility
To be eligible, a young person, or a group of
young persons, must have completed an environ-
mental project while in grades kindergarten
through 12, and the project must be sponsored by
at least one adult representative of their school,
camp, youth group, or public interest group.
Application Deadline
To participate in the annual national awards
competition, projects must be completed by July
31 of the award year; applications must be mailed
to the appropriate Regional Office; and applica-
tions must be postmarked by July 31 or earlier of
the same award year. Do not mail the application
to EPA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Judging Criteria
Each Regional Awards Panel will judge
projects on:
The environmental need for the project.
The environmental appropriateness of the
project.
The accomplishment of goals.
The long-term environmental benefits derived
from the project.
The positive environmental impact on the local
community and society.
The extent to which the project's design, .
coordination, and implementation was due to the;
young person's or persons' initiative.
The positive ways in which other groups or
individuals were involved to provide funds,
resources, or publicity.
The soundness of approach, rationale, and
scientific design (if applicable).
The clarity and effectiveness of presentation
)
Role of Sponsor
The adult sponsor plays an important role in :
helping a young person or a group of young ;
people carry out their projects and apply for
awards. Sponsors should offer suggestions and ,
advice on:
Developing a sound«approach to the project.
" Project implementation.
Working with other groups and individuals in
the community.
' Completing the application form(s) and
preparing accompanying materials.
The sponsor must be an adult and can be a
teacher, youth group advisor, summer camp
counselor, or community leader. Young people
must work closely with the sponsor(s) through-
out the project and application procedures.
Questions not answered by this brochure can be
directed to your state's EPA regional office.
Materials submitted as an entry may be used by EPA to
provide information about special projects.or about the
President's Environmental Youth Awards Program.
Printed on Recycled Paper
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United States Environmental Protection Agency
President's Environmental Youth Awards Application
Name __ ^___
Street
City : : state Zip
Project: Describe project and results achieved.
Date project was started and ended
Did project receive press coverage?_ If "yes", attach press clippings.
Number of certificates required
On a separate sheet of paper, please list the name(s), addresses, ages, and grades of individuals qualifying for awards
Print or type the name(s).
Signature(s) of sponsor(s) - Must be signed by adult sponsor(s).
Name Name
Street = _ street
City, State, Zip City, State, Zip
Home and business telephone Home and business telephone
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EPA Regional Offices
EPA Region 1
JFK Federal Building
Boston, MA 02203
617-565-9447 or FAX: 617-565-3415
Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire,
Rhode Island, Vermont
EPA Region 2
290 Broadway
New York, NY 10007
212-637-3678 or FAX: 212-637-4445
New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands
EPA Region 3
841 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-597-6685 or FAX: 215-597-0961
Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West
Virginia, District of Columbia
EPA Region 4
345 Courtland Street, NE
Atlanta, GA 30365
404-347-3004 or FAX: 404-347-3721
Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee
EPA Region 5
77 West Jackson Boulevard
Chicago, IL 60604
312-886-0995 or FAX: 312-353-1155
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio,
Wisconsin
EPA Region 6
1445 Ross Avenue
Dallas, TX 75202-2733
214-655-2204 or FAX: 214-655-2118 ;
Arkansas, Louisiana, New-Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas
EPA Region 7
726 Minnesota Avenue
Kansas City, KS 66101 :
913-551-7003 or FAX: 913-552-7066 \
Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska
EPA Region 8
One Denver Place
999 18th Street
Denver, CO 80202-2405
303-312-6615 or FAX: 303-312-6961
Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota,
Utah, Wyoming
EPA Region 9
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
415-744-1582 or FAX: 415-744-1605
Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, American
Samoa, Guam, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana
Islands
EPA Region 10
1200 Sixth Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 553-1207 or 1-800-424-4EPA '_
FAX: 206-553-0149
Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington
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