Mr. President, I rise today to recognize the work and accomplishments of a team of individuals in Hawaii who have been honored by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as 1999 “Environmental Heroes.” We seldom take the time to recognize the outstanding accomplishments of those working at the community level, with high school students, far from Washington, D.C. Their dedication can make a big difference in people’s lives and the health of our environment.
Honored in Hawaii were Hawaii Sea Grant’s Extension Director Bruce Miller, Hawaii State Representative Brian Schatz, and Youth for Environmental Service Coordinator Sean Casey.
This marks the third year that NOAA has recognized individuals and organizations throughout the United States for their “tireless efforts to preserve and protect the nation’s environment.” The 1999 NOAA Class of Environmental Heroes included 34 individuals or programs, and the honorees are traditionally announced as part of Earth Day activities nationwide. Each honoree was also sent personal commendations from Vice President Al Gore who congratulated this year’s heroes for their commitment and accomplishments in protecting the environment of our nation.
The Hawaii team was recognized for their creation of Youth for Environmental Service, called YES. The YES program educates and engages K-12 students in discussions of local environmental issues and activities that sustain the environment. YES gives students a chance to get involved through projects such as restoring trails, planting trees, picking up litter from beaches and streams, and more. To date, YES has given presentations to more than 65,000 students in 450 schools, involved 25,000 students in environmental community service projects, removed 20 tons of debris from Honolulu streams, restored one mile of the most used hiking trail on Oahu; planted approximately 2,000 plants, cleaned 40 beaches, stenciled more than 2,500 storm drains with a “Dump No Waste” message, and organized more than 350 other community service projects.
The YES project is an excellent example of the partnering of extension and educational goals through the University of Hawaii’s Sea Grant Program. Mr. President, I would like to extend my warmest congratulations to our three Hawaii Environmental Heroes.
