Eastern Kentucky PRIDE honored the winners of the 2004 Envi Awards on May 17 at The Center for Rural Development in Somerset, Kentucky. The ceremony featured keynote speakers Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers (KY-5), co-founder of the PRIDE initiative, and Dr. Joanne Glasser, president of Eastern Kentucky University.

“I want to personally thank you for doing your part to make our region a cleaner, healthier place to live, work and visit,” Rogers said to the award winners and the 12 finalists.

“I also encourage you to keep up your good work,” Rogers continued. “We have made great strides since 1997, but we still haven’t reached our goal of restoring the region’s natural beauty. To succeed, we need everyone to do their part. Please invite your neighbors, co-workers and family to get on board.”

Rogers asked the more than 250 students in the audience to take better care of the environment than their elders have. “Through PRIDE, you are the first generation of Southern and Eastern Kentuckians to learn that a desirable environment requires personal responsibility,” Rogers said. “Our hope is that you are developing the habits of good stewardship that have been missing from our community.”

Glasser urged the students to continue the civic involvement that they have shown through PRIDE cleanup projects. “I am here to tell you that you can make a difference in this world, and you don’t have to wait another minute or grow another inch,” she said.

Elementary School Campus of the Year Award
Finalists:

• Highland Turner (Breathitt County) 
• Robert W. Combs (Perry County)
• Boston (Whitley County)

Click here to watch a short video about the finalists hands-on learning projects.

Winner: Robert W. Combs Elementary School, for promoting environmental education through hands-on learning opportunities, including three outdoor classrooms, model cave, nature trail, green house, wetland and school-wide recycling.

Click here to watch the winner's acceptance speech.

Middle School Campus of the Year Award
Finalists:

• Adair County
• North Laurel
• Meece (Pulaski County)

Click here to watch a short video about the finalists hands-on learning projects.

Winner: Meece Middle School, for outdoor-classroom projects, water-quality monitoring efforts, mentoring program, creative environmental awareness campaigns, campus cleanups and “Adopt-A-Dock” program.

Click here to watch the winner's acceptance speech.

High School Campus of the Year Award
Finalists:

• Adair County
• Magoffin County
• Rockcastle County

Click here to watch a short video about the finalists hands-on learning projects.

Winner: Adair County High School, for developing an arboretum and incorporating it into a variety of curricula, fostering mentoring relationships with the neighboring elementary school, and contributing to local cleanup and water-quality monitoring efforts.

Click here to watch the winner's acceptance speech.

College/Community Project of the Year Award
Finalists:

• Johnson County Conservation District
• Lawrence County 4-H Leaders Council
• Lindsey Wilson College (Adair County)

Click here to watch a short video about the finalists hands-on learning projects.

Winner: Lindsey Wilson College, for its on-campus and community-wide environmental education efforts, such as building outdoor habitats, hosting an Earth Day celebration for local elementary school students and sponsoring a water-quality seminar.

Click here to watch the winner's acceptance speech.

Tony Turner Volunteer of the Year Award
Finalists:

• Rodney Potter (Pike County)
• Dixie Bend Retreat Lot Owners Association (Pulaski County)
• April Haight (Rowan County)
  
  Click here to watch a short video about the finalists.
  
  Winner: Dixie Bend Retreat Lot Owners Association, for setting an example in personal responsibility by adopting the 3.5 miles of shoreline on Lake Cumberland where their homes are located.
  
  Click here to watch the winner's acceptance speech.

Rogers-Bickford Environmental Leadership Award
Finalists:

• Joseph A. Grieshop, Harlan County Judge-Executive
• Jim Ed McDaniel, Laurel County Solid Waste Coordinator
• Clarice R. Kirby, City of Mt. Vernon Mayor (Rockcastle County)
  
  Click here to watch a short video about the finalists.
  
  Winner: Jim Ed McDaniel, for his exceptional success in recruiting volunteers, strict enforcement of solid waste laws and dedication to environmental education.
  
  Click here to watch the winner's acceptance speech.

Kentucky PRIDE Award

WYMT-TV of Hazard, for the station’s distinguished contribution to the people of the Commonwealth through its efforts to promote environmental awareness.


Click here to watch the award presentation by Congressman Hal Rogers and EKU President Joanne Glasser.