Contact: EPA Press Office (press@epa.gov)
WASHINGTON (June 29, 2022) – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in partnership with the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), announced the 2022 recipients of the Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators (PIAEE) and the President’s Environmental Youth Award (PEYA).
“The tradition of excellence in environmental education continues with this year’s winners and I am so proud of their efforts to tackle the most pressing environmental challenges we face,” said EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan. “I’m happy to celebrate the climate action and environmental stewardship work of the dedicated youth and educators who are leaders in their classrooms and communities. Environmental education is one of the most important tools in our work to protect the environment and combat the climate crisis.”
"We all have a role to play in finding solutions to the climate crisis and environmental injustice - including in our classrooms through environmental education and stewardship," said White House Council on Environmental Quality Chair Brenda Mallory. "Congratulations to these outstanding students and educators for their ideas, creativity and leadership in finding equitable solutions to address the impacts of climate change in their communities."
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. CEQ, in partnership with EPA, administers this award.
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 encourages positive community involvement. Each year, PEYA honors a variety of local projects developed by students, school classes, summer camp attendees and youth organizations to promote engagement in environmental stewardship and protection.
From across the country, 13 educators and 49 students are recognized for their leadership and commitment to environmental education and environmental stewardship. This year, 11 educators received the 2022 Presidential Innovation Award for Environmental Educators, and 2 educators were recognized with an honorable mention distinction. Winning educators demonstrated leadership by integrating environmental education into multiple subjects and using topics such as climate change, waste management, water quality, wildlife conservation, STEM education, and school gardens.
Additionally, 47 students who worked as a team or individually on 10 projects received the President’s Environmental Youth Award; 2 students received honorable mentions. Their stewardship projects, conducted in 2021, display a commitment to advancing community garden efforts, protecting pollinators, reducing pollution, conserving water and energy, reducing food waste, and combating climate change.
2022 PIAEE Winners:
Region 2
David Amidon, Lafayette Junior/Senior High School
LaFayette, New York
Region 3
Erin Burrell, Ashburton Elementary
Bethesda, Maryland
Christopher Kniesly, Edison High School
Alexandria, Virginia
Region 4
Brandon Dillman, White Oak High School
Jacksonville, North Carolina
Krista Brinchek, Abbotts Creek Elementary School
Raleigh, North Carolina
Region 5
Kate Krischke-Grobart, Waukegan High School Washington Campus
Waukegan, Illinois
Amy Boros, Hull Prairie Intermediate School
Perrysburg, Ohio
Region 8
Ashleigh Dewar, Westgate Community School
Thornton, Colorado
Christina Pavlovich, East Side Elementary School
Livingston, Montana
Region 9
Dana Swisher, Neil Cummins Elementary School
Corte Madera, California
Region 10
Alfonso Gonzalez, Jr., Chimacum Elementary School
Chimacum, Washington
2022 PIAEE Honorable Mentions:
Region 4
Michelle Ellis, Hunter Huss High School
Gastonia, North Carolina
Region 10
Elsie Mitchell, Chief Leschi Schools
Puyallup, Washington
2022 PEYA Winners:
Region 1
Award Category: K-5
Reducing Air Pollution and Conserving Water in Community Gardens
By: Rahul Ram
Award Category: 6-12
Portsmouth Aglnnovation Farm
By: Portsmouth Middle School Team – Olivia Almilli, Anabella Barber, Tatum Brennan, Dahlia Brilhante, Aurelis Brockman, Cameron Davis, Elizabeth Lantz, Ellie McFadden, Stella McInerny, Maggie Mullen, Raelin Nary, Brooke O'Brien, Hannah Pilotte, Olivia Purdy, Fiona Sarro, Noah Sidewand, and Owen Sidewand
Region 2
Award Category: 6-12
Sunrise Bergen County
By: Leaders of Sunrise Bergen Team – Eesha Bhatia, Julianne Chase, Anika Dhulipala, Pranav Hooda, Elena Jacoby, Andrea Kim, Kaleigh Krause, Sasha Lee, Kaylee Nam, Samiya Pathak, Pooja Rayapaneni, Jisae Son, Eva Taveras, and Meghana Veldhuis
Region 3
Award Category: 6-12
#PlasticfreePWC
By: Stephanie Ruiz Molina and Ashley Munoz-Trujillo
Region 4
Award Category: 6-12
Pollinate Our Planet
By: Lauren Huffstetler
Region 5
Award Category: K-5
The Monarch Butterfly Project
By: Hilton Elementary School Geiser/Chen Team – Eliza Chen, Eloise Chen, Emmeline Chen, Mary Rose Geiser, and Michael Geiser
Award Category: 6-12
Confront the Climate Crisis
By: Ethan Bledsoe and Annabel Prokopy
Region 6
Award Category: 6-12
Pollinator Preservation
By: Spencer Jackson Burke
Region 7
Award Category: 6-12
Promoting LED Light Bulbs through a Public Service Announcement
By: Klaertje Kiyora Hesselink
Region 9
Award Category: 6-12
Operation Leadership Hawai'i
By: Punahou School Team – Kaelah Kimura, Joey Misailidis, and Katie Rudolf
2022 PEYA Honorable Mentions:
Region 3
Award Category: 6-12
Conscious Consumers
By: Karina Chan-van der Helm
Region 9
Award Category: 6-12
An Incentivized Self-Sustaining Food Waste Rescue Initiative
By: Nithin Parthasarathy
To read about the winning projects in detail, visit:
PEYA:
https://www.epa.gov/education/presidents-environmental-youth-award-peya-winners
PIAEE:
https://www.epa.gov/education/presidential-innovation-award-environmental-educators-piaee-winners