Teachers, students, and school clubs were honored with Explore Ecology Awards in a ceremony at the recent Santa Barbara Earth Day Festival.

Now in their fifth year, the Explore Ecology Awards honor eco heroes in Santa Barbara County whose dedication to environmental stewardship and care for nature is creating a greener and more resilient Santa Barbara.

Each winner spoke onstage about their impactful work in environmental stewardship.

“What began with just two boxes has blossomed into a thriving outdoor education program boasting ten planter boxes and four compost areas,” said Refugio High School teacher Jennifer Rasmussen. “Plans for a pumpkin patch and rows of corn within an old sand volleyball court are underway, alongside the implementation of a rainwater collection system.

“The impact of these hands-on projects extends beyond the classroom, evident in the joy reflected on students’ faces and the enthusiasm from faculty, staff, and visiting adults.”

Student Award winner Ethan Maday talked about his work developing curriculum on regenerative agriculture at Santa Barbara Middle School.

The complete list of winners includes: Gio Alfaro, Ethan Maday, Margo Leven, Moxie McLeod, Rasmussen, Lori Leach, Teri Briggs, the Kellogg Ocean Guardians, and the Clean and Green Club at Vieja Valley Elementary School.

“The awards ceremony was so inspiring and reminds us of the profound impact that we can all have on the health of our planet,” said said Lindsay Johnson, Explore Ecology executive director. “From replacing single use plastic sporks in the Kellogg Elementary cafeteria to planting trees at La Colina Junior High, everyone had a story to tell about why they took action and how they implemented change. Congratulations to this year’s winners.”

Explore Ecology programs include Environmental Education, Art From Scrap, Watershed Resource Center, and the School Gardens Program.

For more information, visit ExploreEcology.org.