The David Brower Youth Awards are for student activists
between the ages of 13 to 22 and is presented by the Earth Island
Institute. For more information about the award, check out http://www.earthisland.org/bya/index.htm
Deadline for application is August 4, 2000.
~~Patrick Kwan
The Brower Youth Awards recognize the outstanding and
innovative leadership efforts of youth across the country that are
working on environmental conservation, preservation, and restoration.
The cash prizes are intended to assist the recipients in their future
environmental work. There are no restrictions on the use of the award,
and the recipients are generally encouraged to use the prize to assist
in their own education or to further their environmental work. Six
awards are presented each year. The recipients receive:
* A $3,000 cash prize
* A trip to the awards ceremony in San Francisco, CA for the recipient
and
one chaperone
* An award trophy and certificate
* Local and national media coverage
Projects Conservation, Preservation, Restoration
The Brower Youth Awards recognize the outstanding and
innovative leadership efforts of youth across the country that are
working on environmental conservation, preservation and restoration.
"...Whatever you do in life, make sure to include CPR
for the Earth. The Earth is a living, throbbing organism. It needs
CPR-Conservation-Preservation-Restoration-on a regular basis." (David R.
Brower)
Conservation: "Conserving our natural resources does not
mean using them up less quickly. We can relearn conservation by reading
the earth, observing that in Nature, nothing is wasted, and everything
is made ready for the next user." (David R. Brower)
Projects in conservation work to eliminate or decrease
our use of natural resources. Here are some examples of conservation
projects:
* A project that plays a substantial role in organizing
a local community to
pass a mass transportation initiative
* A project that reduces energy use by planting trees,
vines, and shrubs to
shade school campus air conditioners and buildings
Preservation: "Aldo Leopold reminded us that the first
rule of intelligent tinkering is to save all the parts. Preserving life
on earth means saving all those things we can never replace, like
species and cultures."(David R. Brower)
Projects in preservation work to protect ecosystems or
parts of ecosystems. Here are some examples of preservation projects:
* A project that secures protected nesting area for an
endangered song bird
* A project that plays a substantial role in blocking
development of wetlands
via ongoing peaceful civil disobedience (sits-ins, demonstrations,
street
theater)
Restoration: "Restoration means putting the Earth's
life-support systems back in working order in a way that allows us to
rediscover our own place in the natural order." (David R. Brower)
Projects in restoration work to reestablish the healthy
functioning of ecosystems or parts of ecosystems. Here are some examples
of restoration projects:
* A project that reclaims an abandoned lot, creates an
organic garden and
installs an eco-center
* A project that cleans up a critical half-mile of creek
and plants native
species along the banks
The Selection Process
Youth from 13 to 22 years old who have led environmental projects are
invited to apply for the Brower Youth Awards. Applications are due
August 4th, 2000. A Selection Committee, comprised of youth and adults
who work closely with youth, reviews the applications. The members of
the Selection Committee are based across the United States and come from
a variety of disciplines including activism, academics and government.
The Selection Committee will nominate ten finalists. From the finalists,
the Steering Committee chooses the award recipients.
Eligibility
The Brower Youth Awards recognize the outstanding and innovative
leadership efforts of youth across the country that are working on
environmental conservation, preservation, and restoration.
"People my age should count on checking out reasonably
soon, but our young people are going to have to live on this planet
quite a bit longer, so we're depending on them to shape us up before
it's too late." (David R. Brower)
To be eligible for a year 2000 Brower Youth Award, you
and your project need to meet the following guidelines:
* You live in the United States, the District of
Columbia or Puerto Rico.
* You are between 13 and 22 years old by August 4, 2000.
* If you are 17 or younger, you are enrolled in school (public, private
or
home school).
* If you are 17 or younger, your parent or legal guardian will sign your
application.
* Your project is associated with a school, group, club, or
organization.
* You played the major leadership role in organizing and implementing
the
project. You can think of this like making a film. Many people
contribute
to the film, but one person is recognized as the director -- the person
with
the vision, the motivation, and the leadership skills to get the film
completed.
*Your project fits into one or more of conservation, preservation, or
restoration.
*Your project is developed, substantially implemented, and is showing
results
by August 4, 2000.
Important Dates
Applications due: August 4, 2000 (postmarked August 4,
2000)
Recipients notified: September 15, 2000
Awards ceremony: October 14, 2000 (in San Francisco, CA)
The Application
You can get an application by:
* Calling us with your name and address at (415) 788-3666, x144
* E-mailing us with your name and address at bya@earthisland.org
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