CHARLESTON, W.Va. – The West Virginia Youth Environmental Program (YEP) will present close to $15,000 in cash awards to groups from around the state for their efforts this past year to better the environment in the Mountain State.
YEP membership consists of 4-H clubs, scout troops, schools and other youth organizations, who complete environmental projects that benefit the state and their communities. Some of those projects include stream monitoring and cleanups, recycling drives and environmental education. The YEP is sponsored by the state Department of Environmental Protection (WVDEP).
During the past year, YEP groups worked over 20,000 hours to recycle more than 13,000 pounds of aluminum, 39,000 pounds of plastic, 51,000 pounds of steel and 49,000 pounds of paper. They also planted 1,034 trees, more than 1,500 flowers and cleaned up nearly 75 miles of roadways, in addition to community areas and streams. Groups collected 255 bags of trash.
Normally, YEP award winners are recognized during Youth Environmental Day at North Bend State Park. This year’s event, scheduled for May 15, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Despite the many challenges they faced because of the pandemic, youth groups from around the state were still able to complete projects that made their communities and West Virginia a better place to live,” YEP Director Annette Hoskins said. “I know the rest of the state will join us at the WVDEP in thanking them for their hard work and amazing dedication. And we certainly look forward to next year when we can all be together again at North Bend State Park.”
Following is the list of award winners. For more information about the awards and their sponsors, click
here.
- Rick Vecellio Memorial Scholarship – Lilly Claire Bias, Scott High School, Boone County
- Bear Category First Place – Girl Scout Troop 4988, Roane County
- Bear Category Second Place – Valley Livestock 4-H Club, Randolph County
- Bear Category Third Place – Leon Luckies 4H Club, Mason County
- Cardinal Art Poster Award – Luke Thomas, Leon Luckies 4-H Club, Mason County
- Cardinal Art Poster Award – Raven Hershman, Sandy Pals 4-H Club, Preston County
- District 1 Coordinator Award – Sandy Pals 4-H Club, Preston County
- District 2 Coordinator Award – Cub Scout Pack 32, Mineral County
- District 3 Coordinator Award – Tacy Stickers 4H Club, Barbour County
- District 4 Coordinator Award – Hinton Helping Hands, Summers County
- District 5 Coordinator Award – Bridge Creek Bandits 4-H Club, Putnam County
- District 6 Coordinator Award – Lubeck Lucky Clovers 4-H Club, Wood County
- DuPont Plastic Recycling Award First Place – Sistersville Nature Seekers 4-H Club, Tyler County
- DuPont Plastic Recycling Award Second Place – Clover Stems, Putnam County
- Environmental Achievement Award – North Fork 4-H, Pendleton County
- Environmental Education Award – Meadow Bridge Clovers, Fayette County
- GoMart Energy Essay Award – Ava Prior, Girl Scout Troop 1895, Fayette County
- GoMart Energy Essay Award – J.D. Croucher, The Croucher Family, Hampshire County
- Governor's Beautification Award First Place – Wyoming East High School, Wyoming County
- Governor's Beautification Award Second Place – Haer Bears 4-H Club, Mason County
- Governor's Beautification Award Third Place – Schultz Ridge Runners 4-H Club, Pleasants County
- Keep West Virginia Beautiful Award – Frametown Girl Scout Troop 38217, Braxton County
- Keep West Virginia Beautiful Award – Girl Scout Troop 4988, Roane County
- Litter Control Awards First Place – Girl Scout Troop 1895, Fayette County
- Litter Control Awards Second Place – Hill Billie 4-H Club, Mason County
- Litter Control Awards Third Place – Sandy Pals 4-H Club, Preston County
- Maple Award – Malden Makes a Change, Kanawha County
- Mountain Laurel Category Award First Place – Midway Getters 4-H Club, Preston County
- Mountain Laurel Category Award Second Place – Belleville 4-H Club, Wood County
- Mountain Laurel Category Award Third Place – Girl Scout Troop 1895, Fayette County
- Mountain State Award of Excellence Category Award – Highland School Hawks Conservation Club, Ritchie County
- REAP Adopt-A-Spot Award – Frametown Girl Scout Troop 38217, Braxton County
- REAP Recycling Powerpoint Award – Wyoming East High School, Wyoming County
- Recycling Award First Place – Letart Pioneers 4-H Club, Mason County
- Recycling Award Second Place – Busy 4's 4-H Club, Mason County
- Recycling Award Third Place – Sand Hill Explorers 4-H Club, Wood County
- Recycling Education and Awareness Award First Place – New Haven Elementary, Mason County
- Recycling Education and Awareness Award Second Place – Winfield Scotts 4-H Club & Cloverbuds, Putnam County
- Rhododendron Category Award First Place – The Croucher Family, Hampshire County
- Rhododendron Category Award Second Place – Point Pleasant Jr. Sr. High School, Mason County
- Rhododendron Category Award Third Place – Mountaineers 4-H Club, Mason County
- Rick Vecellio Memorial Art Poster Award – Emmalea Warden, Haer Bears, Mason County
- Rick Vecellio Memorial Art Poster Award – Emily Carothers, Meadow Bridge Clovers, Fayette County
- Rick Vecellio Memorial Art Poster Award – Kameron Hart, Little Pioneers, Mason County
- Rick Vecellio Memorial Art Poster Award – Jaidyn Patrick, Roadrunners 4H, Mason County
- Rick Vecellio Memorial Art Poster Award – Malea Bechtle, Mountaineers 4H, Mason County
- Save Our Streams Award – Harper Girls, Kanawha County
- Streams & Trails Award First Place – Morristown Mountaineers 4-H Club, Wirt County
- Streams & Trails Award Second Place – Boy Scout Troop 32, Hampshire County
- Sustainable Forestry Poster Award – Gweneth Ashman, Girl Scout Troop 4988, Roane County
- Watershed Protection Award – Harper Girls, Kanawha County
- West Virginia State Parks Superintendents' Association Awards First Place – Meadow Bridge Girl Scouts Troop 31897, Fayette County
- West Virginia State Parks Superintendents' Association Awards Second Place – Haer Bears 4-H Club, Mason County
- Wildlife Management Award – Cow Creek Hi-Strivers 4-H Club, Putnam County
- Youth Environmental Hall of Fame Award – Hunter Hershman, Sandy Pals 4-H Club, Preston County
- Youth Environmental Hall of Fame Award – Kelsey Butcher, Frametown Girl Scout Troop 38217, Braxton County
For more WVDEP news and information, go to www.dep.wv.gov. Also, connect with the agency on all social media platforms. Follow @DEPWV on Twitter, Like us on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/depwv/, and find us on YouTube by searching “Environment Matters.”
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