EPA announces New England’s winners of Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educator and the President’s Environmental Youth Award
Publilshed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
BOSTON (JUNE 20, 2024) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with the White House Council on Environmental Quality announced New England’s 2024 recipients of the Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators (PIAEE) and the President’s Environmental Youth Award (PEYA).
“Environmental stewardship often begins in the classroom with young people and educators who tackle our planet’s most pressing climate change and environmental justice challenges head on,” said EPA New England Administrator David W. Cash. “This year’s awardees from New Hampshire and Rhode Island showcase a passionate leader and dedicated students whose great work creates a promising future for us all.”
The PIAEE award was established by the 1990 National Environmental Education Act and seeks to recognize, support, and bring public attention to the outstanding environmental projects performed by teachers who go beyond textbook instruction to incorporate methods and materials that utilize creative experiences and enrich student learning in K-12 education.
2024 PIAEE Award Winner: Tara Happy, Hollis Primary School
Hollis, New Hampshire
Mrs. Happy, one of nine award winners nationally, is an environmental science teacher at the Hollis Primary School in New Hampshire. She tailors each lesson based on the interests of her students, which fosters curiosity and promotes active engagement. After her students expressed an interest in slugs, for example, Mrs. Happy organized a “Slug Week” that highlighted slug art, slug stories, and slug-finding contests. During the week, not only were her students enjoying their learning experience, but they were also developing a deep respect for the species and their surrounding ecosystem.
Additionally, because Mrs. Happy’s school is in a rural community—where many students have a connection to farming—she teaches students about the plant life cycle with gardening activities. At her school, Mrs. Happy also utilizes the outdoors for students with intensive needs—such as nonverbal communication, mobility challenges, and medical needs—and her activities are inclusive and engaging for everyone.
In 2018, Mrs. Happy started a classroom composting program which has composted more than 4,600 pounds of food scraps. A food waste diversion plan, also organized by Mrs. Happy, allowed the school to divert over 10,600 pounds of food waste from the cafeteria. Mrs. Happy’s leadership extends beyond the classroom through her collaboration with other teachers to integrate environmental education into the curriculum. She has established herself as a respected leader in her school and the broader community.
The PEYA was established by the Environmental Education Act of 1970 and recognizes outstanding community-level environmental projects by K-12 youth that promote awareness of natural resources and encourage positive community involvement. Each year, PEYA 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.
2024 PEYA Award Winner: The Barrington Environmental Establishment
By: Abigail Goblick, Siddharth Gupta, Mia He, and Emma Pautz
Award Category: Grade Level 6–12
Barrington, Rhode Island
The Barrington Environmental Establishment (BEE) is a student-led climate action organization founded by Emma, Abigail, Mia, and Siddharth. These high school students noticed that their coastal hometown of Barrington, Rhode Island, was impacted by the effects of climate change, such as increased flooding and extreme weather. They decided to take matters into their own hands to create the BEE and help their community become more environmentally conscious while fostering positive environmental change. The students publish a biweekly newsletter promoting environmental awareness and have organized several successful community projects.
As an example, the BEE set up a public composting drop-off site for the residents of Barrington, at which nearly 1581 pounds of compost was collected within the first 21 weeks. Additionally, by collaborating with an organization called”Tree-Plenish,” the BEE sold 1033 tree saplings, offsetting 206 tons of carbon, in the past year. Community involvement is at the heart of the organization’s goals and activities, and the BEE invites community members to participate in monthly environmental events as well as regular volunteer cleanup activities. In their pursuit of a greener future, the BEE uses youth-led activism to drive community-based environmental action.
Additional information:
From across the country, 9 educators received the 2024 Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators. Winning educators demonstrated leadership by integrating environmental education into multiple subjects and using topics such as climate change, environmental justice, water infrastructure, waste management, water quality, environmentally friendly agricultural practices, STEM education, and school gardens to teach about environmental sustainability. The winners also effectively demonstrated how they inspire members of their communities to participate in environmental education activities.
Additionally, 29 students who worked as a team or individually on 13 projects received 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.
To read about the winning projects in detail, visit:
PEYA Winners: https://www.epa.gov/education/presidents-environmental-youth-award-peya-winners.
PIAEE Winners: https://www.epa.gov/education/presidential-innovation-award-environmental-educators-piaee-winners.
Read the full article at: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-announces-new-englands-winners-presidential-innovation-award-environmental
