(November 19, 2024) Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is announcing the Litter Hawk Youth Award Program, a recognition program for students in Kindergarten through 6th Grade, who complete a project specific to their grade level. Kids can participate individually or as part of a lesson initiated by schools, home-schools, scout troops, 4-H clubs, environmental clubs or other organized groups.

The Litter Hawk Youth Award Program is a way for kids to share their hope, optimism and concerns about litter and inspire others to care for their communities through art, words or video. This year’s Litter Hawk Youth Award theme is: Join the Greatest American Cleanup! Show us how you can keep your community litter free for America’s 250th birthday, in support of the Greatest American Cleanup, Keep America Beautiful’s national three-year campaign to motivate, educate and celebrate communities to clean up and green up ahead of the Country’s 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026. Projects include:

• Grades Kindergarten through 4 – Poster
• Grade 5 – Essay
• Grade 6 – Video

First and second place in each grade level will be awarded certificates. All participants will receive recognition of participation with a Litter Hawk sticker. The deadline for participating is January 31, 2025. Winners will be announced in April 2025 in coordination with an awards ceremony at the PA State Capitol Building where all winning entries will be on display as part of the 2025 Litter Hawk Youth Award exhibit. All winners and their families, guardians and teachers are welcome to attend. Special guests will include representatives from the PA Department of Environmental Protection and America250PA.

“We are excited to see how Pennsylvania students feel and think about litter in their neighborhoods, school and other favorite places. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful believes that engaging youth in protecting the environment not only creates a direct impact on changing behaviors and attitudes, but also influences their friends and families,” said Stephanie Larson, Communications and Program Manager, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. “We are all responsible for keeping our communities clean and beautiful. This program provides a fun and easy way for students to illustrate respect for the environment and their community.”

The Litter Hawk Youth Award program was created with funding provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. For more information, downloadable promotional posters and an entry form, visit https://www.keeppabeautiful.org/grants-awards/awards/litter-hawk/. Additional questions can be answered by Stephanie Larson at slarson@keeppabeautiful.org or 724-836-4121 ext. 104.

###

About Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s vision is a clean and beautiful Pennsylvania. Since 1990, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful has worked with hundreds of thousands of volunteers across the state to pick up nearly 158 million pounds of trash from Pennsylvania’s roadways, waterways, greenways, vacant lots, forestlands and other community spaces. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s core programming focuses on litter and illegal dump prevention, cleanup, community greening, and proper waste handling and sustainable practices. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful works with many partnering organizations on the state and grassroots level to accomplish our goal of a clean and beautiful Pennsylvania. Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is the state affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, Inc., the nation’s largest volunteer-based community action and education organization. To learn more about Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, visit www.keeppabeautiful.org.

Download the press release