Girl Scouts of Alaska Troop 210 Awarded EPA President’s Environmental Youth Award
Contributed by Maya Narang
During Alaska’s dry summer months, wildfires pose a significant public safety concern. After witnessing the devastation of the Swan Lake Wildfire in 2019, four Girl Scouts from Troop 210 in Kenai, created “Bucket Trees for Campfire Safety” to help mitigate wildfires started by humans. Since 2022, the girls have installed 18 “bucket trees” across the Kenai peninsula to earn their Girl Scout Silver Award. Each bucket tree contains loaner buckets and fire safety instructions for putting out campfires. The initiative has already proven effective, with hikers and campers using the buckets to stop wildfires from starting.
In June, Girl Scouts Caitlyn Eskelin, Emma Hindman, Kadie Newkirk, and Lyberty Stockman received the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) President’s Environmental Youth Award (PEYA) for their project. This prestigious award honors youth who demonstrate exceptional commitment to environmental protection and community involvement. The troop will travel to Washington D.C. in August to receive the PEYA award and meet with Alaska’s national delegation. Since 1971, the EPA has recognized youth environmental stewardship projects across the country. The PEYA program encourages positive community involvement by our youth by recognizing their commitment to follow through with a project that improves quality of life and promotes awareness of natural resources in the U.S.
The bucket tree project has been praised by Alaska State Park Rangers, firefighters, and the broader Kenai peninsula community alike. In April the troop received the Caring of the Kenai Award. In the future, the girls hope to expand their efforts to a statewide initiative to protect all of Alaska’s natural landscapes.
Girl Scouts of Alaska
Girl Scouts of Alaska is the premier girl leadership organization in Alaska, serving close to 3000 members from Wasilla to Ketchikan to Bethel. Our mission is to build girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. To learn more, visit girlscoutsalaska.org.