PA CleanWays announced this week that Maria Elvia Zavala of Chester County, has been named recipient of the 2006 Sue Wiseman Scholarship.

The Sue Wiseman Scholarship, an annual $1,000 award, honors youth who have demonstrated outstanding commitment and dedication to reducing littering and illegal dumping.

Maria received the award for the initiation of a community project she named, “Loving Our Community.” The mission of the project was to clean up all polluted areas in the community, as well as to paint over graffiti, in some instances with an artistic mural.

“This was an important project,” Maria said, “because of the example we were setting for others about keeping our environment clean and respecting other people’s property as well as ourselves.”

As a board member of Mexican American National Association, Maria, age 19, hopes to promote positive attitudes toward the Mexican community and will continue to develop, organize, and participate in the “Loving Our Community” project. Maria attends Penn State University.

Applicants were judged on initiative and self-motivation, ability to demonstrate leadership, commitment to the environment, use of local resources, partnerships formed, and the project’s ability to educate the public.

PA CleanWays extends many thanks to our judging team: Sue Wiseman, founder of PA CleanWays; Leanne Griffith, Westmoreland Conservation District Education Coordinator; and Shelly Radomski, Certified Elementary Educator.

The scholarship is named for Sue Wiseman, whose own commitment and dedication to a cleaner environment led to the founding of PA CleanWays, a statewide nonprofit organization that helps people who are ready to take action against littering and illegal dumping in their communities.

Since 1990, PA CleanWays has been dedicated to empowering people to resolve and prevent these destructive problems. PA CleanWays community-based approach has resulted in the removal of 561 illegal dump sites statewide. More than 28,786 volunteers helped remove and properly dispose of nearly 9,000 tons of trash and over 300,000 tires.

The Sue Wiseman Scholarship is open to Pennsylvania youth, ages 16-21, who have initiated and carried out personal project(s) that address littering, illegal dumping, recycling, proper disposal, beautification, or education. An education project must address one of the other topics listed.

Applications and project requirements are due May 1, 2007. PA CleanWays is currently accepting scholarship applications.

7/28/2006