Meet the Young Ambassadors - 2023-2024

The 2022 cohort of Young Ambassadors have been announced. Thirty-five students were chosen through a competitive application process, and they have committed to eight months of service as an ambassador while representing and upholding the mission and values of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. From October 2023 through May 2024, participants will develop civic leadership skills and experience to champion and advocate for clean and beautiful communities across Pennsylvania. Meet the Young Ambassadors here. 

Revised Open Your Eyes to Litter, Book 1 Available to Download  
Our popular Open Your Eyes to Litter series of five educational activity books was created over 20 years ago. Over one million copies of the original series were distributed to schools throughout Pennsylvania. To account for the changing environment, new environmental education standards and new types of litter, we have been working with illustrator and concept artist, Brady Mock, and Eastern Pennsylvania Coalition for Abandoned Mine Reclamation to update the series.  

We’re excited to announce that revisions to the first book in our Open Your Eyes to Litter series is complete! Designed for kids in kindergarten through grade 3, the book is an introduction to what litter is and who it affects and includes thoughtful prompts and fun activities.

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful would like to thank PA Department of Environmental Protection for their support of our education programs and for providing funding for the development of the original book series as well as the revisions. The revised book, in English and Spanish, and its teacher's guide are available to download, along with the original books, two through five, here.  

Litter Hawk Youth Awards Program 

Teachers, Students and group leaders! Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful is announcing the Litter Hawk Youth Award Program, a recognition program for students in Kindergarten through 6^th Grade. 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 theme is: Open Your Eyes to Litter – Show Us What You See
Projects include:

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

First and second place will be awarded prizes in each grade level. All participants will receive recognition of participation. Applications open October 31. Deadline to participate is January 31st. Winners will be announced in May in coordination with a display of winning entries at the PA State Capitol Building. For more information and an application click here. 

Pick Up Pennsylvania – Supporting the Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup 

Register a cleanup event through November 30 to receive cleanup supplies, provided with support from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, PennDOT and the Ocean Conservancy, as they last. Cleanups this fall support the Ocean Conservancy's International Coastal Cleanup whose goal is to keep trash from reaching our waterways and oceans and also document and study the type of trash collected during cleanups.  

The Heritage Conservancy has been participating in Pick Up Pennsylvania for over 15 years. Recent cleanups have focused on keeping litter out of Bristol Marsh, a freshwater tidal marsh, and Croydon Woods, one of the last remaining coastal plain forests in the state. Because of their proximity to the Delaware River, these cleanups help stop trash from ending up there, preserving habitat for wildlife and migrating birds.

"Keep PA Beautiful has been instrumental in helping Heritage Conservancy in our efforts to host cleanups on properties in Bucks County. It is through Keep PA Beautiful that we have received access to supplies that help us facilitate our cleanups, as well as additional promotion of our events. Working together helps us all keep our home clean!" said Melissa Lee, Volunteer and Historic Events Coordinator, Heritage Conservancy.

You can join an existing cleanup event by visiting Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful’s Calendar of Events or register your own. Small actions can make a big difference!