2025 Litter Hawk Youth Award winners on the steps of the PA State Capitol Building's Main Rotunda with from left, Natasha Fackler, PA Department of Environmental Protection and KPB Board Director; Andrew Tubbs, Energy Association of Pennsylvania and KPB Board Director; Ramez Ziadeh, PA Department of Environmental Protection; Shannon Reiter, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful; Ali Tarquino Morris, PA Department of Environmental Protection; and Phoebe Coles Wetzel, Community Marketing Concepts and KPB Chair.  

·       Litter Hawk Youth Award Program Winners Celebrated!

Litter Hawk Youth Award winning students, their parents, teachers, and legislators with winning students in their district, attended a ceremony honoring the thoughtful and inspiring messages submitted by this year's participants. Nearly 70 people came to support and celebrate the winners and their efforts. Shannon Reiter, Executive Director, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful; Phoebe Coles, Chair, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful; Ramez Ziadeh, Acting Executive Deputy Secretary, PA Department of Environmental Protection; and Christian Cassidy-Amstutz, Strategic Initiatives and Grants Manager, America250PA, provided remarks about the importance of educating youth about litter and anti-littering behaviors. Posters of the winning entries are on display in the East Wing Fountain Area fountain area through the end of April. This program is funded by the PA Department of Environmental Protection. 

Seeking Student Leaders for Young Ambassadors Program

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, with funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), is seeking civic and environmental leaders in 10th -12th grade to keep Pennsylvania clean and beautiful through the Young Ambassadors of Pennsylvania program. 

The Young Ambassadors program empowers young community stewards and civic leaders to become ambassadors in their community for a shared vision of a clean and beautiful Pennsylvania. Ambassadors will have the opportunity to train and network with industry leaders, state agencies, local media and the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful network, and will receive a taste of life in the public service sector.

Applicants should be passionate about the environment and committed to protecting Pennsylvania’s natural beauty and environmental health through volunteerism and leadership.

Applications are being accepted through June 10. Students will be chosen through a competitive application process. Students interested in applying should visit keeppabeautiful.org or contact Kylie McCutcheon at 724-836-4121 x114 or kmccutcheon@keeppabeautiful.org. 

Chester Community Members joined Keep Delco Beautiful for a Sun Village Community Cleanup.

KPB Welcomes Keep Chester City Beautiful

Our newest affiliate, Keep Chester City Beautiful is supported by the Office of Mayor Stefan Roots. Their mission is to equip and empower residents across Chester to clean up and beautify their blocks, and to improve communication and collaboration between residents and their local government. Keep Chester City Beautiful will focus on implementing the Block Captain program, in partnership with Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Land Steward program, to organize regular cleanups across the city for residents to tackle litter and dumping.  

Justin Tibbels, Special Assistant to the Mayor and Constituent Affairs Manager, will serve as coordinator for Keep Chester City Beautiful affiliate programs. The affiliate can be reached at chestercityblockcaptains@gmail.com or 610-447-7700 Ext. # 7718.   

Litter Lifters of West Vicent clean the Indy Trail. 

Join Pick Up Pennsylvania: Make a Difference in Your Neighborhood and the Places You Love! 

Pick Up Pennsylvania engages tens of thousands of volunteers annually through litter cleanups, illegal dump cleanups, beautification projects, special collections, and educational events. Events registered through May 31 receive free trash bags, gloves, and safety vests provided with support from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and PennDOT, as supplies last. To help with the cost of trash disposal, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection and Pennsylvania Waste Industries Association are sponsoring low or no cost disposal through April 30. During this time, trash collected at registered events can be taken to participating landfills, with prior approval. 

To host an event, join an event near you, or to inquire about free supplies and trash disposal, visit keeppabeautiful.org or contact Michelle Dunn, Pick Up Pennsylvania Program Coordinator, at 724-836-4121 ext. 113 or mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.   

NEW - Enter Your Pick Up Pennsylvania Cleanup Photos in the Lens On Litter Contest to Win $500!

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is proud to sponsor the 2025 Pennsylvania Resources Council (PRC), Gene Capaldi Lens on Litter photo contests, "Before and After" category. Participants are eligible for a monetary prize of $500. One adult and one student winner will be awarded. In order to qualify, submissions in this category must be from a Pick Up Pennsylvania registered and reported event. All Lens on Litter photo contest rules and requirements must be followed.  All submitted photos may be used by PRC and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful at their discretion. LEARN MORE!