News Releases from Headquarters
EPA Celebrates Earth Day and Environmental Education
Announcing Winners of the President’s Student-Teacher Environmental Awards
WASHINGTON (April 22, 2020) — Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), is pleased to announce the recipients of the Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators (PIAEE) and the President’s Environmental Youth Award (PEYA).
“As we celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day, we are also celebrating nearly 50 years of environmental education that fosters awareness about conservation issues, and helps communities make informed, responsible decisions about their environment,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “We are also honoring dedicated educators who spark enthusiasm in our youth to develop a love and respect for the environment and find solutions for issues that impact our air, water and land.”
From across the country, 10 educators and 35 students are being recognized for their leadership and commitment to environmental education and environmental stewardship. This year, 7 educators will receive the 2020 Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators, and 3 educators will be recognized with an honorable mention distinction. Winning educators demonstrated leadership by integrating environmental education into multiple subjects and using topics such as healthy school environments, environmentally friendly agricultural practices, reducing ocean litter, gardening, recycling, or STEM to teach sustainability to K-12 students.
Additionally, 35 students who worked as a team or individually on 13 projects will receive the President’s Environmental Youth Award. Their stewardship projects, conducted in 2019, display a commitment to learning, to protecting natural resources, and to engaging their communities in environmental protection.
Background
The Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators
Established by the 1990 National Environmental Education Act, the Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators seeks to recognize, support, and bring public attention to the outstanding environmental projects performed by innovative teachers who go beyond textbook instruction to incorporate methods and materials that utilize creative experiences and enrich student learning. CEQ, in partnership with EPA, administers this award to encourage and nationally honor outstanding elementary and secondary (K-12) education teachers who integrate environmental and place-based, experiential learning into school curricula. The program provides funding to help support educator awardee schools in their environmental education work and provides funding for the teacher’s professional development.
The President’s Environmental Youth Award
Since the establishment of the original Environmental Education Act of 1970, The President’s Environmental Youth Award (PEYA) Program has recognized outstanding community-level environmental projects by K-12 youth for almost 50 years. Today, as part of the National Environmental Education Act of 1990, PEYA continues to promote awareness of natural resources and encourages positive community involvement. Each year, PEYA honors a wide-variety of local-level projects developed by students, school classes, summer camp attendees and youth organizations to promote engagement in environmental stewardship and protection. Students in all 50 states and U.S. territories are invited to participate in the program.
Since the establishment of the original Environmental Education Act of 1970, The President’s Environmental Youth Award (PEYA) Program has recognized outstanding community-level environmental projects by K-12 youth for almost 50 years. Today, as part of the National Environmental Education Act of 1990, PEYA continues to promote awareness of natural resources and encourages positive community involvement. Each year, PEYA honors a wide-variety of local-level projects developed by students, school classes, summer camp attendees and youth organizations to promote engagement in environmental stewardship and protection. Students in all 50 states and U.S. territories are invited to participate in the program.
View PIAEE winners here. View PEYA winners here.
PIAEE Winners:
Region 1
Melanie Cutler
Andover High School
Andover, Massachusetts
Region 2
Veronica Morabito-Weeks
Bretton Woods Elementary
Hauppauge, New York
Region 3
Ann Strozyk
Howard County Public School System
Ellicott City, Maryland
Region 5
David Murduck
Champion Middle School
Warren, Ohio
Region 7
Rachel Arens
Omaha Northwest High School
Omaha, Nebraska
Region 8
Spencer Cody
Edmunds Central School District
Roscoe, South Dakota
Region 9
Sabrina Suluai-Mahuka
Samoana High School
Pago Pago, American Samoa
The following teachers will be recognized as PIAEE honorable mention recipients:
Region 1
Carly Imhoff
Ashford School
Ashford, Connecticut
Region 3
Melissa Tracy
Odyssey Charter School
Wilmington, Delaware
Region 5
Shelly Sparrow
Twin Branch Elementary School
Mishawaka, Indiana
PEYA Winners:
Region 1
Award Category: 6-12
The Greenhouse
By the Rockport Public Schools Green Team: Josh, Nathaniel, Sebastian, Caitlin, Patrick and Amanda
Massachusetts
Region 2
Award Category: 6-12
Bridgewater Raritan High School Rain Garden
By the Bridgewater Raritan High School Green Infra Team: Sujay, Pravar, Amogh, Aneesh, Ritika
New Jersey
Region 3
Award Category: 6-12
Effective Repeated Filtration of Amoxicillin from Wastewater Using Activated Charcoal Filters
By Lea
Pennsylvania
Region 4
Award Category: 6-12
Go Green - Holiday Action
By the We Sense Youth Team: Bo, Yichen, Ayden, Savannah
North Carolina
Award Category: K-5
Zach's Planet
By Zach
Florida
Region 5
Award Category: 6-12
Pop Tab Pandemonium
By Brayden
Illinois
Region 6
Award Category: 6-12
Fresh Hub
By Shirley and Annie
Texas
Award Category: K-5
The 3R Project
By Prince
Texas
Region 7
Award Category: 6-12
See a Bloom, Give It Room
By the Kickapoo Environmental Club: Nash, Natasha, Sophia, Gabriel, Adriana, Vincente, Kismet, Caitlin, Savannah
Kansas
Region 8
Award Category: 6-12
EBatsMT
By the Bigfork High School Cave Club: Ryan and Colten
Montana
Region 9
Award Category: K-5
For the Love of Frogs- The Parallel Projects
By Justin
California
Award Category: 6-12
Sustainable Food Systems Priority (Arizona Sustainability Alliance)
By Nikita
Arizona
Region 10
Award Category: 6-12
P.O.P. – Promote Our Pollinators
By Anna
Alaska