Fremont, Calif., Student Honored with President’s Environmental Youth Award

EPA Press Release:

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 16, 2013

Fremont, Calif., Student Honored with President’s Environmental Youth Award

Award recipient among ten national winners

SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today announces 12-year-old Pavan Raj Gowda, of Fremont, Calif., to be one of the recipients of the 2012 President’s Environmental Youth Award for his environmental stewardship work, which includes founding “Green Kids Now, Inc,” a non-profit organization focused on raising children’s awareness of environmental issues.

“EPA is proud to honor Pavan’s extraordinary effort to engage children in environmental action and better the lives of those in his community and future generations,” said Jared Blumenfeld, Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “Instilling a sense of environmental stewardship in our young people is critical in ensuring our environment is protected for years to come.”

Green Kids Now, Inc, a 501(c)(3) non-profit charity, strives to increase understanding of environmental issues among children through offering school programs, workshops, and online resources. The organization also hosts an annual “Green Kid Conference” in Mountain View, Calif., that serves as a forum for students and their families to learn about and explore environmental issues, such as climate science and air quality, and provides resources and opportunities for children to use in their communities.

Pavan, a seventh-grader, has written two children storybooks, “Two Tales from a Kid” and “Geckoboy-The Battle of Fracking,” that raise awareness of the value of community involvement in environmental issues and the side effects of hydraulic fracturing. Pavan also serves as an international reporter for the Primary Perspective children’s radio program in Australia, and is active in the San Francisco Bay Area helping schools obtain the Green Star award, which is sponsored by the United Nations and non-profit Green Star International.

Established in 1971, 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 winning projects, all focused on environmental stewardship, range from analyzing and installing wind power in New England to restoring prairie land in Texas and reducing the use of disposable bags in Colorado.

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

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

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