Adele from New Jersey
Spreading the Word
When Adele was thirteen she created Adele’s Literacy Library™. Her love of reading is the driving force behind the organization, which donates thousands of books to schools and libraries, inspiring kids to learn to read and become lifelong readers. Go Adele!
Zachary from Florida
Feet Forward for Hurricane Victims
After Hurricane Charlie hit Florida, seven-year old Zach started Little Red Wagon, a group that raises money to help underprivileged and homeless youth. Recently Zach finished a walk from Atlanta to the While House to raise money. That’s 1,225 miles!
Alex from California
Neighborhood Guardian
Alex joined the local Boys & Girls Club at age five. Now he’s 17 and his neighborhood is gang-ridden. Determined to keep kids out of trouble, Alex spends 10 hours a week at the B&GC mentoring the younger kids by helping them with homework and problem solving.
Erin from Massachusetts
Diving In For Kids
Erin was ecstatic to be an instructor in her swim teacher’s program that teaches disabled children to swim. The 14-year old teaches an aquatic therapy class. Several kids who joined with a real fear of water now love the water due to Erin’s enthusiasm and her ability to make them feel safe.
Andrew from New York
Recycle/Precycle
Andrew began a recycling program in his 4th grade classroom and then recruited friends to expand the program to collect bottles on the playground during recess. In 2009, Andrew’s program was expanded to the entire school.
Athman from California
Recycle/Precycle
After realizing his county didn’t have a recycling service, Athman created Willoughby Recycling. He makes weekly visits to pick up recycling for a list of homes and takes everything to the recycling plant for these families.
Bianca from California
Save the Big Blue
Bianca works with other students to restore a canyon in her community. The project highlights the canyon’s pollution and damage to its waterways and animals. Bianca will plan and implement a large-scale canyon restoration event with over 900 volunteers!
Boys & Girls Clubs in Florida
Save the Big Blue
Members of this Boys & Girls Clubs are learning about the need to conserve water resources. They installed 55-gallon plastic containers on the youth center down-spouts to collect rain water. They use this water to irrigate a small (3'x3') garden and indoor plants!
ECHO-TECHIES from New York
Grow the Green
The ECHO TECHIES is a group of inner city kids who grow fruits and veggies in their school’s garden and are used in the cafeteria. The kids sold “green” gift bags whose profits helped young adults leave foster care and move into the first green affordable housing.
The Hobby Greenhouse Club,
from New York
The Hobby Greenhouse Club members started “Project Lights Out" at their school. The students made signs and placed them by all the light switches to remind students and staff to turn off the lights when leaving the classroom. One month they saved $425.81!
Sara from Texas
Slow the Flow
Sarah wanted to create a 100% green Environmental Center on her beloved Girl Scout camp property. The Center is becoming a reality-it will be finished this fall! Sarah looks forward to many kids visiting the Center for green workshops and classes!
Shannon from California
SLOW THE FLOW/SAVE THE BIG BLUE
Shannon is an environmentalist that practices water conservation every day. As she brushes her teeth, takes showers and cleans the house, she limits her water consumption. An avid gardener, Shannon also uses her backyard pond to water her plants!
Yaffet from California
SAVE THE BIG BLUE
Yaffet has dedicated the last two years to mentoring middle school students. He teaches them the importance of protecting our oceans and different ways to help the environment through reducing water waste, recycling and reusing. His mentees experience the wonders of the ocean first-hand though snorkeling.
Harbor Corps from New York
SAVE THE BIG BLUE
Harbor Corps consists of 12 kids that meet every Saturday and plant oyster seeds in all of the New York waterways. Since oysters naturally filter water they reduce pollution. Harbor Corps raises awareness about water pollution through other means like beach clean-ups.
Lulu from California
SAVE THE BIG BLUE
Lulu's love of surfing inspired her to participate in beach clean-ups and protect marine life around the world. She works for a non-profit grassroots organization dedicated to the protection and enjoyment of our world’s oceans, waves and beaches.
Clay from Ohio
SAVE THE BIG BLUE
Clay took action after discovering that 90% of the wetlands in Ohio have been destroyed in the past 200 years. He started an organization that helps preserve local swamps and marshes and even built special homes for the wetlands’ birds.
The Alaska Youth for Environmental Action!
SAVE THE BIG BLUE
This group of students took action after researching the decline of salmon populations in Alaska. The group joined National Wildlife Federation's AYEA’s Statewide Renewable Energy Campaign which promotes renewable energy development in Alaska.
Sean from Florida
SAVE THE BIG BLUE
Sean created “Stow It-Don’t Throw It,” an outreach project designed to protect Florida’s marine wildlife. With the help of 4H, the program aims to eliminate dangerous and improperly disposed-of synthetic fishing line by providing local fishermen with mini recycling bins for their extra fishing line!
Alex from Rhode Island
Recycle/Precycle
Alex started Project WIN to recycle and re-use electronic waste. WIN donates like-new computers to RI families and sent media centers to Tsunami victims in Sri Lanka. Alex and WIN even got a statewide law passed that bans improper e-waste disposal!
Claire from New Jersey
Recycle/Precycle
As a 4th grader, Claire created a presentation about the Styrofoam in her school’s garbage and showed it to her community. Now Styrofoam is banned in all local government buildings, her school included. Claire’s the only student member of her town’s Green Committee!
Avery, Taiki, Jack, and Flo from NYC
Slow the Flow
Avery, Taiki, Jack, and Flo founded Relight NY which making change, one light bulb at a time. So far, they’ve changed over 73,000 bulbs in buildings and eliminated over 14 million tons of CO2 emissions! They also set up a system to help other kids form groups like Relight.
Savannah from Florida
Curb the Car
An Arctic National Wildlife Refuge protector,Savannah started Pump 'em Up (www.pumpemup.org), when she learned that Americans waste 4 million gallons of gas a day with under-inflated tires. Pump ‘em Up urges people to check their tires and gives new tires out for free!
Laura from California
Grow the Green
Laura founded the 4-H Million Trees Project when she was 13. The movement to plant a million trees started in California with Laura and her group planting 26,000 trees. If the 90,000 other 4-H Clubs join in, then 6,000,000 young people will be involved!
Nathan from Utah
Curb the Car
For his Anti-Idling campaign, Nathan enlisted his classmates’ help and they held up signs before and after school telling parents and bus drivers to turn off their engines when not in use. Nathan took his campaign to the Utah state legislature and it passed!
Michelle, Maria, Bianca, and Lisa from IL
Slow the Flow
Michelle, Maria, Bianca, and Lisa rebuilt a van called the Green Machine, which runs on bio-diesel fuel they make out of used oils (like French fry oil) from the school cafeteria! They also prepare and host two annual Alternative Energy Awareness Fairs in their town.
Jordan from California
Recycle/Precyle
Jordan created the program Rise Above Plastics, which teaches and trains students to talk about the harms of disposable plastics and solutions like carrying reusable bags and your own forks. Jordan is also a Green Ambassador for her environmental high school.
Michael from Connecticut
Grow the Green
Michael helped organize a tree planting day at his school which helped him win a grant so the project can be expanded to other low-income areas of his city. Michael also joined a group that helps urban farms grow fruits and veggies in the city!
