The Loudoun County Environmental Commission has announced the winners of its annual Environmental Excellence Awards, which honor individuals, businesses, nonprofit organizations and educators for their leadership on environmental issues. The awards were presented during the Board of Supervisors’ April 2, 2024, meeting.
The 2024 winners and categories are:
- Business: Orblynx Academy. The Ashburn-based academy provides STEM-based education and has a focus on sustainability, which helps students to understand and address environmental challenges.
- Citizen or Community Group: Lucketts Ruritan Club. The club promotes environmental awareness through community projects, including a weekly recycling service in partnership with Loudoun County.
- Educator: Manju Gomanthinayagam, Farmwell Station Middle School teacher. Gomanthinayagam founded the school’s Young Naturalist Club, which was instrumental in the school’s recognition by the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources as a Virginia Naturally School for its efforts to increase environmental literacy.
- Government Employee or Program/Team: Virginia Cooperative Extension – Loudoun. VCE-Loudoun, in collaboration with the Department of Parks, Recreation and Community Services, has launched a project at two county parks where tree saplings are temporarily planted in nursery-like gravel beds. This increases the survival rate for the young trees.
- Student: Emma Lloyd. The home-schooled 11th grader contributed nearly 100 hours of her time to stream monitoring and related educational outreach efforts in 2023. She initiated a signage program for stream crossings on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail. She has also inspired other students to become certified stream monitors.
This is the second year of the Environmental Excellence Awards program created by the Environmental Commission, which advises the Board of Supervisors and makes recommendations on policies and practices related to the environment, sustainability and energy management. Members of the commission include representatives from the community, industry and higher education.
Upcoming Energy & Environment Forum May 14
The Environmental Commission is holding its second annual Energy and Environment Forum Thursday, May 14, 2024, 5:30 – 8:00 p.m., at the Academies of Loudoun, 42075 Loudoun Academy Drive, Leesburg. More information is online at loudoun.gov/environmentalforum.
Stay Informed
Anyone interested in energy and environmental news from the Loudoun County government may subscribe to the Environment & Energy category available from the Notify Me/News Flash section of the Loudoun County website. Subscribers can choose to receive email and/or text updates, news releases and other information of interest to residents and businesses regarding environmental topics.
More Information
More information about the county’s efforts to increase environmental sustainability and resilience for Loudoun residents and businesses is online at loudoun.gov/environment.
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