Students Encouraged to Apply for Green Award

The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency encourages students who have participated in an environmental or conservation project to apply for a Governor’s Green Youth Award. The annual award recognizes outstanding environmental protection and conservation projects created and developed by Illinois students.

Classrooms or individual students currently enrolled in K – 12 school, scouts, 4-H or others, and who have participated in an environmental project started no earlier than 2008 are eligible for the award.

The project must involve one or more of the following categories: waste reduction; prevention/reduction of pollution in the air (climate change/global warming), land or water; restoration, preservation or enhancement of natural areas; and energy or water efficiency.

An application and additional information about the program are available from the Illinois EPA web site at:www.epa.state.il.us/green-youth/index.html or by calling Deirdre McQuillen at 217-558-0073 or email Deirdre.McQuillen@illinois.gov. The deadline for applications is March 19.

The awards ceremony will be held on Earth Day, April 22, at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield. Winners will receive a ticket to the museum in addition to their award.