2025 Litter Hawk Youth Award program ceremony at the PA State Capitol Building. 

 NOW OPEN - Litter Hawk Youth Award Program 
for Students in Grades K-6!

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is announcing the Litter Hawk Youth Award Program, a recognition program for students in Kindergarten through 6^th Grade and funded by PA Department of Environmental Protection. Each participant will complete a fun, grade-level-specific project that inspires environmental stewardship and creativity. It's a chance for kids to learn, lead, and leave a lasting impact, all while earning recognition for their efforts. 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.

Projects include:         

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

As an added bonus, winners will be announced in April 2026 in coordination with an awards ceremony at the PA State Capitol Building! The deadline for participating is January 31, 2026. Learn more. 

Hanging baskets installed by Main Street Hanover. Photo credit: Hanover Borough Public Works Department and Main Street Hanover.

Welcome Keep Hanover Beautiful! 

Keep Hanover Beautiful has officially become an affiliate of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. The new affiliate will be hosted by Main Street Hanover, Inc., a nonprofit community organization that works to expand the economic capacity of downtown Hanover, York County, thus improving the business environment, enhancing the quality of place, and increasing community collaboration. Read more. 

Moriah Tyler will serve as coordinator for Keep Hanover Beautiful affiliate programs. The affiliate can be reached at mtyler@mainstreethanover.org or 717.637.6130 extension #101.   

Simon Jørn Arentsen, Russell Bedell, Catherine Cremeans, and Celina Seftas.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Expands Board with Sustainability and Communications Leaders

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is proud to announce the appointment of four distinguished professionals to its Board of Directors. These new members bring a wealth of experience and a shared commitment to environmental stewardship that will help advance the organization’s mission to empower Pennsylvanians to keep our communities clean and beautiful.

Please join us in welcoming:  

Simon Jørn Arentsen, Sales Director, PepsiCo Beverages North America 

Russell Bedell, Director of Communications, Columbia Gas of Pennsylvania & Maryland 

Catherine Cremeans, Laboratory Manager, Marathon Petroleum 

Celina Seftas, Director of Sustainability, Juniata College

Read more. 

Clarion River Cleanup volunteers, Elk County.  

Deadline Approaching: Be Part of Pennsylvania’s Largest Community Improvement Effort!
Supporting the Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup 
~ Free Cleanup Supplies Available through November 30 ~ 

Pick Up Pennsylvania, the state’s largest community cleanup initiative, is proudly part of the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup. From city streets to rural streams, every piece of litter you remove helps protect wildlife, reduce pollution, and preserve the natural beauty of our state.

Thanks to over 53,000 volunteers, Pennsylvania saw 3.4 million pounds of trash and 9,906 tires removed so far this year. That's incredible! But we’re not done yet. Join the final wave of cleanup efforts and help end the year on a high note. 

Groups or individuals can register an event to get free supplies while they last, courtesy of PA Department of Environmental Protection, PA Department of Transportation and Ocean Conservancy. Learn more and register here!

Phoebe Coles-Wetzel, KPB Board Chair; Shannon Reiter, KPB Executive Director; Ryan McLoughlin, KPB Young Ambassador; Nathaniel Carso, KPB Young Ambassador; Kylie McCutcheon, KPB Young Ambassador Coordinator; Mariya Hoja, Young Ambassador; Logan Thompson, Young Ambassador; and Secretary Jessica Shirley, PA Department of Environmental Protection.

     2025 Annual Conference a Success!

     This year’s conference was a powerful reminder of what we can accomplish when we come together. From grassroots volunteers to government officials, every participant plays a role in shaping a cleaner, greener Pennsylvania.

Highlights from the conference included:

·         Inspiring Keynote: A keynote address by Dr. Lara Fowler, Penn State Dickenson Law, emphasizing the power of community in fostering local resilience and economic well-being.

·       Youth Engagement: Four enthusiastic Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful Young Ambassadors representing Erie, Pike and Chester Counties brought fresh perspectives and energy to the event.

·         Affiliate Innovation – Shark Tank Style hosted by DEP Secretary Jessica Shirley: Four KPB affiliates showcased their most innovative and impactful community improvement ideas in a Shark Tank-style competition. Scranton Tomorrow took home the $3,500 grant from MPLX to help bring their visionary project to life. Scranton Tomorrow will expand its collaboration with Marywood STARS, an after-school mentoring program for junior and senior high school students. The initiative aims to cultivate knowledge in native sustainable horticulture, foster civic engagement, and instill community pride. The program will culminate in a student-designed landscape planting at the Scranton Courthouse, a hands-on project that brings their learning and leadership to life in a meaningful public space.

Conference PowerPoints and materials can be downloaded here. 

Conference photos can be viewed here. 

A big thank you to our sponsors and all who attended. We enjoyed your company! 

Win a VIP Weekend at the Masters While Supporting Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful!

When you donate to Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful through our Tixforgood page, you’ll be entered to win two premium passes to The 2026 Masters!

Please note: Travel and lodging are not included.

🎟️ Enter now The drawing will be on January 2.
Your generosity helps us provide communities with tools and resources to improve their communities, and you could win big while doing good.

Thank you for your support!

Your support makes everything we do possible. Please consider supporting our mission of empowering Pennsylvanians to keep our communities clean and beautiful.