Dallas Teen Honored with President’s Environmental Youth Award

EPA Press Release:

Dallas Teen Honored with President’s Environmental Youth Award

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the winners of the 2012 President’s Environmental Youth Award, including Chandler Burke of Dallas. Burke joins nine other winners from around the country being recognized for their exceptional work in environmental stewardship.

Burke’s project involved restoring blackland prairie meadow in North Texas by building a rock barrier around a storm sewer to slow erosion and redirect water into a nearby meadow. He also replaced invasive grasses with native Texas species, and built and repaired habitats for birds, rabbits, and box turtles to encourage the animals to return to the meadow.

The President’s Environmental Youth Award promotes awareness of our nation’s natural resources and encourages positive community involvement. One outstanding project from each of EPA’s ten regions is selected for national recognition. Projects are developed by young individuals, K-12 school classes, summer camps, and youth organizations.

This year’s other winning projects range from analyzing and installing wind power in New England to reducing the use of disposable bags in Colorado.

Winning projects of the President’s Environmental Youth Award include:

•  Wind Energy Powers, Camden Hills Regional High School, Rockport, Maine
• Take the Challenge, Christopher Johnson,
• The Use of T102 Implemented Nanoparticles with the Aid of Ultraviolet Light to Help Deterge and Detoxify Groundwater, Murwarid Rahimi, Springfield, Va
• Balls Go Round, Inc., Karly and Jeffrey Krasnow, Vero Beach, Fla
• Zephyr Wind Project, Mahtomedi High School Eco Club, Mahtomedi, Minn.
•  Action4Air: An Anti-Idling Campaign, Rockwood School District's Center for Creative Learning, Ellisville, Mo.
• Net Zero Club, Fairview High School, Boulder, Co.
• Green Kids Now, Pavin Gowda, Fremont, Calif.
•  ROC the Kenai, Courtney Stoh, Kenai, Alaska

More information about the winners: http://www2.epa.gov/education/presidents-environmental-youth-award-peya-winners

More information about this program: http://www2.epa.gov/education/presidents-environmental-youth-award

# # #