Environmental Stewardship Lunch honors several Citizens making a difference during Earth month and Throughout the Year
John Palminteri
SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The annual Environmental Stewardship Awards lunch is honoring citizens, as young as eight years old, for their efforts to improve the environment.
This is part of the Earth Month events taking place in many communities.
Explore Ecology says the honorees will be local students, teachers, and community leaders who care for nature and lead impactful changes.
Their actions are both at their schools and in their communities.
Environmental Stewardship honors are being handed out in Santa Barbara
One honoree is a Coastal Cleanup Day Site Captain Bodhi Crawford who is just eight years old, another is a K/1st grade class who turned an empty patch of ground into a native plant sanctuary, and a high schooler who wanted to supply his cafeteria with fresh produce, so he grew some on campus.
Among the speakers will be Dr. Mary Khan, Superintendent of the Goleta Union School District, who will share insights about the importance of environmental education.
Danielle Wiehll from Montecito Union School said, “each year students choose a different topic and they learn about it and then they learn how they can actually make a difference.”
The Sustainable Future Club at San Marcos High school is turning a worn out section of a creek nearby into a much cleaner waterway. A sophomore student, Ava Jane Damery said, “it was kind of lots of concrete slabs of concrete, very dried out, a lot of invasive ice plant, and just really sad. We aim to revegetation the creek that runs through campus and it connects to the freeway. So a lot of pollutants go to the creek. And we want it to be that shaded with native plants to help filter it before it goes off into the ocean and create a flourishing habitat for future species to thrive.”
Many of these programs. were not known by Explore ecology they found out about them when they made a call out through nominations.
Explore Ecology Executive Director Lindsay Johnson said, “it gives me so much hope and inspiration. I’m just so proud to see that these projects are happening in our community.
She said the role is to inspire the teachers, and “get the kids engaged and out there and then see what they come up on their own. That is what the environmental stewardship awards do for our community and it is really fun to see it come together.”
Jackson Simmons-Furlati is a student at Dos Pueblos High who is working with tower gardens. “It shows people how to care for the environment how it’s sustainable. You don’t use any plastic or any stuff that isn’t good for the environment .”
Meet the 2025 Explore Ecology Award Winners:
Bodhi Crawford: An ocean steward who became a Coastal Cleanup Day Site Captain at just 8 years old, helping to organize volunteers and keep Jalama Beach clean.
Liz Loeza: Founder of Plant the Next Tree, Liz has organized tree plantings and led a community cleanup at Santa Barbara Community Academy.
Jackson Simmons-Furlati: Jackson and the Dos Pueblos Environmental Club installed hydroponic towers for fresh cafeteria produce and will present at the UN Ocean Conference 2025.
Rowan Smith: A dedicated advocate for the environment and a key member of the Santa Barbara Middle School Enviro Action Club, inspiring action among her peers.
Nancy Morris: A Monroe Elementary teacher for over 25 years, Nancy is passionate about protecting the environment and educating children about their responsibility and stewardship of our planet.
Kim Berman and Danielle Weill: Montecito Union School teachers whose Climate Change and Student Activism Unit empowers students to take meaningful environmental action.
Marie Chavis: Founder of the El Camino Jr. High Ocean Club, leading students in ocean conservation efforts.
Chris Hamman: A La Colina Junior High science teacher who created an outdoor living laboratory where students conduct hands-on experiments.
Sustainable Future Club: Transformed an abandoned culvert into a lush, restored habitat with over 100 trees, shrubs, and perennials.
Ashley Griffin’s Class: Designed an outdoor learning area with native plants, rain barrels, and natural seating spaces.
Martha Rugg: A garden educator who started an after-school gardening group, a composting program, and science lessons for young students.
Wendy Kanter: A beloved environmental steward for 32 years, teaching children about birds, plants, and sustainability through nature journaling and gardening.