President's Environmental Youth Awards
Application Deadline
Applications for the regional award are due by December 31 of each year.
Applications for the regional certificate can be sumbitted at any time during the year.
Your project - or one you are sponsoring - could be an award winner. Encourage one or more students you know to apply for PEYA and see what a difference they can make for the environment with an award-winning project. Applicants from all 50 states and U.S. territories are eligible to compete for an award for special recognition and a presidential plaque.
- Basic Information
- Certificate Program
- Regional Award
- Judging Criteria
- Winners
- Sponsors
- EPA Coordinators
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
Apply Today!
Applications for the certificate program can be submitted at any time.
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.
Format | File size | Instructions / Tips |
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Microsoft Word | 6 pages, 3.0 MB |
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Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) [about PDF] | 6 pages, 490 KB |
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How to Apply for the Regional Award
Deadline is December 31
The deadline for submitting applications for the regional award is December 31 of each year.
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.
Supporting Materials
Applicants are encouraged to submit photographs, newspaper articles, and other supporting materials if they provide a more comprehensive view of the project.
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.
Format | File size | Instructions / Tips |
---|---|---|
Microsoft Word | 6 pages, 3.0 MB |
|
Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) [about PDF] | 6 pages, 490 KB |
|
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.
Evaluation Criteria | Points |
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Extent to which the project was designed, coordinated, and implemented due to the young person's or persons' initiative. | 25 points |
Environmental need for the project and appropriateness. | 20 points |
Positive environmental impact on the local community and society, and the long-term environmental benefits derived from the project. | 15 points |
Were the goals accomplished? | 15 points |
Positive ways in which other groups or individuals were involved to provide funds, resources, or publicity. | 10 points |
Project innovation. | 10 points |
Soundness of approach, rationale, and scientific design (if applicable). | 5 points |
Total | 100 points |
Recognition of Winners
PEYA Winners
Check out the current and past PEYA 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
Who can be a sponsor?
The sponsor must be an adult and may be a parent, teacher, youth group adviser, summer camp counselor, community leader, or other interested individual.
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 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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |
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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 |