Harry Hurst Middle School, located in Destrehan, has been selected as the recipient of the 2012 Youth Leadership Award by Keep Louisiana Beautiful, the state’s nonprofit organization dedicated to litter reduction and community improvement.

The Youth Leadership Award is given to a school, school district, educator or student (elementary through college) that has displayed creativity and effective leadership, have engaged peers and their community and has made a significant impact on litter reduction in the state.

The students at Harry Hurst have taken on environmental awareness as a mission for some time, studying environmental issues in the science classrooms and using what they are learning to make a difference in their community in two separate efforts: The Green Team and the Wetland Watcher program.

The Green Team is a student-led and teacher-assisted program dedicated to increasing recycling at Harry Hurst. With the help of Phoenix Recycling, students began

a recycling program modeled on community curbside recycling. During the 2011-12 school year, the students collected more than 24,000 gallons of material for recycling. In addition to this, they participated in various community outreach opportunities such as the St. Charles Parish Trash Bash and Audubon Zoo’s Earthfest.

Through the implementation of their Wetland Watcher program, Harry Hurst students reached more than 75,000 people with their environmental message of wetland conservation. The program’s activities, such as planting trees and water quality testing, allow Hurst students to positively engage with each other and the environment. Students then use knowledge they gain to lead wetland trips for younger students, helping to teach their peers, the next generation of conservationists. Students currently work with children from 18 other schools by facilitating field experiences and science night presentations. Hurst students have led more than 2,000 students on wetland field trips last year.

 “I commend the hard work of the students at Harry Hurst Middle School,” Leigh Harris, executive director of KLB, said. “The students got everything right in their program. They combined education and action to achieve tremendous results. Harry Hurst Middle School’s efforts have had and will continue to have an impact on the Destrehan community.”

For more information about Keep Louisiana Beautiful, contact Leigh Harris at 225-752-7446 or email at lharris@keeplouisianabeautiful.org.