On April 13, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful thanked the over 900 Pennsylvania youth who participated in the 2023 Litter Hawk Youth Award Program.

The program provides a way for students in Kindergarten through Grade 6 to express their concerns about litter through art, words or video.

Each participant completed a project specific to their grade level. In response to Pennsylvania’s new anti-littering education campaign, PA Fights Dirty: Every Litter Bit Matters, the theme was: Show Us How Every Litter Bit Matters to You.

Judges were excited to see so many thoughtful submissions illustrating positive change towards reducing the amount of trash found in our parks, school grounds and along our roadways.

Two entries were awarded in each grade level. First place winners received a $50 gift card. First runners-up received a $25 gift card.

First Place Winners

-- Elizabeth Kalista (poster), Kindergarten, Holy Trinity Catholic School, Blair County              

-- Nadia Weaver (poster), Grade 1, Reidenbaugh Elementary School, Lancaster County             

-- Reese Guarnero (poster), Grade 2, Nitrauer Elementary School, Lancaster County                  

-- Josiah Haley (poster), Grade 3, homeschool, Clinton County                             

-- Jordyn Sylvester (poster), Grade 4, Smithfield Elementary School, Monroe County                

-- Abigail Foltz (essay here), Grade 5, South Lebanon Elementary School, Lebanon County       

-- Rishi Saravanan, Saathvik Nag Chakilam, Nihal Chamarthi and Dhyan Vignesh (video here), Grade 6, Pickering Valley Elementary School, Chester County

Runners-Up Winners

-- Emerson Hassler (poster), Kindergarten, Bethel Elementary School, Berks County

-- Lennox Reinhard (poster), Grade 1, Schuylkill Valley Elementary School, Berks County

-- Reagan Wolf (poster), Grade 2, Penn Bernville Elementary School, Berks County

-- Xzavier Zeiders (poster), Grade 3, Pine Grove Area Elementary School, Schuylkill County

-- Epiphany Juarez (poster), Grade 4, Penn Bernville Elementary School, Berks County

-- Izabella DiAmbrosio (video here), Grade 5, Rock L. Butler Middle School, Tioga County

-- Penelope Pell (essay here), Grade 6, Rock L. Butler Middle School, Tioga County

Click Here to view winning entries.

Winning entries will be displayed in the East Wing Rotunda of the Pennsylvania State Capitol building in Harrisburg from May 4 through May 26.

Pennsylvania students could participate individually or as part of a lesson initiated by schools, environmental clubs, scouts or other organized groups. Thirty schools participated at the classroom level.

“Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful wants to thank all the students who participated in our Litter Hawk Youth Award program this year. It’s humbling to see and hear what Pennsylvania youth think about keeping our neighborhoods clean and beautiful. Engaging youth in protecting the environment creates a direct impact on changing behaviors and attitudes as kids have a knack for influencing their friends and families,” said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. “Congratulations to this year’s Litter Hawks! We hope to see everyone back again next year.”

The Litter Hawk Youth Award program is offered annually and was created with funding provided by the Department of Environmental Protection.

For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, visit their YouTube Channel.

The 2023 Pick Up Pennsylvania Initiative will be held until May 31.  Questions should be directed to Michelle Dunn at 1-877-772-3673 Ext. 113 or send email to: mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

Keep PA Beautiful helps mobilize over 100,000 volunteers a year to pick up litter, clean up illegal dumping and beautify Pennsylvania.

(Photo: Josiah Haley (poster), Grade 3, homeschool, Clinton County.)

Related Articles This Week:

-- PA Resources Council Launches Initiative To Reduce Food Waste - Eat Well, Save Money & Waste Less  [PaEN]

-- Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Announces Litter Hawk Youth Award Program Poster, Video, Essay Winners  [PaEN]

-- Keep PA Beautiful, America250PA Now Offering Mini-Grants To Support Community Cleanups, Improvement Projects; Separate Liberty Tree Project Support Available  [PaEN]

[Posted: April 13, 2023]

4/17/2023