President's Environmental Youth Awards

Basic Information about the President's Environmental Youth Award

The PEYA program promotes awareness of our nation's natural resources and encourages positive community involvement. Since 1971, the President of the United States has joined with EPA to recognize young people across the U.S. for protecting our nation's air, water, land, and ecology. It is one of the most important ways EPA and the Administration demonstrate commitment to environmental stewardship efforts created and conducted by our nation's young people.

One outstanding project from each region is selected for national recognition. Projects are developed by young individuals, school classes (K-12), summer camps, and youth organizations to promote environmental stewardship. Thousands of young people from all 50 states and the U.S. territories have submitted projects to EPA for consideration. Winning projects in the past have covered a wide range of subject areas, including:

• environmental science projects
• recycling programs in schools and communities
• construction of nature preserves
• major tree planting programs
• videos, skits, and newsletters that focused on environmental issues

Evaluation results consistently demonstrate that the experience is frequently a life-changing event for many of the young people and sponsors who attend.

How to Apply for the Regional Certificate Program

The regional certificate program is conducted year-round. All qualified applicants will receive a certificate signed by the President honoring them for their efforts to protect human health and the environment.

Eligibility

• Project is completed while the student(s) are in kindergarten through 12th grade.
• Student(s) are citizens of the United States or its territories or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residency.
• Project is sponsored by at least one adult.

Application

• Sponsor must sign and date page A-1 of the application.
• Project must be summarized on the pages provided in the PEYA application form (no more than 300 words).
• Each application must be mailed to the regional PEYA coordinator.

How to Apply for the Regional Award

The regional award program is conducted once a year. Following the annual December 31 deadline, the regional awards panel for each of EPA's 10 regional offices reviews applications to select the winner. The 10 regional award winners receive special recognition and a presidential plaque at an EPA-sponsored award ceremony in their region.

Application Steps

Step 1: Review the Eligibility Criteria

• Project is completed while the student(s) are in kindergarten through 12th grade.
• Student(s) are citizens of the United States or its territories or have been lawfully admitted for permanent residency.
• Project is sponsored by at least one adult.

Step 2: Complete an Application

• Sponsor must sign and date page A-1 of the application.
• Project must be summarized on the pages provided in the PEYA application form (no more than 300 words). A more detailed description of the project, addressing the evaluation criteria, should be included separately on 3 to 5 pages of 8½- by 11-inch paper.
• Typed, double-spaced applications are recommended. The applicant should type or write on only one side of each page.
• Project must be described based on the evaluation criteria. These criteria will be used by a regional awards panel to evaluate the application.

Step 3: Mail the Application

• Each application must be mailed to the regional PEYA coordinator. Applications cannot be submitted electronically.
• A current mailing address for each regional PEYA coordinator is provided on this site.

Judging Criteria

Each application under consideration for a regional award is evaluated by a regional awards panel. The panel members are usually EPA staff who review and evaluate each application based on the criteria. A maximum of 100 points can be awarded.

Recognition of Winners

PEYA Winners

 Check out the current and past PEYA winners!

Each year, EPA gives special recognition and a presidential plaque to the regional award winners. The 2011 PEYA winners were recognized in individual regional ceremonies and at the White House Summit on Environmental Education.

Sponsors

Each young person or group of young people applying for the PEYA program must be represented by a sponsor. The adult sponsor plays an important role in helping a young person or group of young people carry out a project and apply for a PEYA.

Typically, a sponsor offers suggestions and advice throughout the project to:

• develop a sound project approach
• implement the project
• work with other groups and individuals in the community
• complete the application form (The sponsor must also sign and date the application.)
• prepare accompanying materials

Questions about the role of a sponsor should be directed to your regional PEYA coordinator.

Other Resources for Sponsors

• EPA Teacher Resources
• Keep School Environments Safe
• Protect the Environment in Your Community

EPA Coordinators

EPA has 10 regional offices, each responsible for several states and some of which are responsible for U.S. territories. In each regional office there is a coordinator who manages the PEYA program for that region. The coordinator answers any questions about the program, oversees the review of submitted applications, and works with the sponsors on follow-up activities.

	Region 1 - CT, ME, MA, NH, RI, VT Kristen Conroy U.S. EPA 5 Post Office Square, Mail Code ORA-01-1 Boston, MA 02109-3912 (617) 918-1069 conroy.kristen@epa.gov
	Region 2 - NJ, NY, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands Cecilia Echols U.S. EPA 290 Broadway 26th Floor New York, NY 10007-1866 (212) 637-3678 echols.cecilia@epa.gov
	Region 3 - DE, DC, MD, PA, VA, WV Ellen Lucchetti U.S. EPA 1650 Arch (3PA00) Philadelphia, PA 19103-2029 (215) 814-3287 lucchetti.ellen@epa.gov
	Region 4 - AL, FL, GA, KY, MS, NC, SC, TN Kathy Armstrong U.S. EPA Sam Nunn Atlanta Federal Center 61 Forsyth Street, S.W. Atlanta, GA 30303-8960 (404) 562-8225 armstrong.kathy@epa.gov
	Region 5 - IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI Megan Gavin U.S. EPA 77 West Jackson Boulevard (AT-18J) Chicago, IL 60604-3507 (312) 353-5282 gavin.megan@epa.gov
	Region 6 - AR, LA, NM, OK, TX Bonnie King U.S. EPA 1445 Ross Avenue Suite 1200 (6XA) Dallas, Texas 75202-2733 (214) 665-2215 king.bonita@epa.gov
	Region 7 - IA, KS, MO, NE Denise Morrison U.S. EPA 901 North 5th Street Kansas City, KS 66101-2907 (913) 551-7402 morrison.denise@epa.gov
	Region 8 - CO, MT, ND, SD, UT, WY Wendy Dew U.S. EPA 1595 Wynkoop Street Denver, CO 80202-1129 (303) 312-6605 dew.wendy@epa.gov
	Region 9 - AZ, CA, HI, NV, American Samoa, Guam, Mariana Islands, Palau Sharon Jang U.S. EPA 75 Hawthorne Street (CED-4) San Francisco, CA 94105 (415) 947-4252 Jang.Sharon@epa.gov
	Region 10 - AK, ID, OR, WA Sally Hanft U.S. EPA 1200 Sixth Avenue (ETPA-086) Suite 900 Seattle, WA 98101 (206) 553-1207 (800) 424-4372 (Region 10 only) hanft.sally@epa.gov