Environment Champions: 2010-2024
2024
Student Volunteers:
Victoria Bogatz, Bellevue East High School Green Initiative
Izzy Hernandez, Bellevue West High School Sustain Club
Aarg Patel, Bellevue West High School Sustain Club
Adult Volunteers:
Nathaniel Bacon, Bellevue East High School
Gary & Barbara Bittner, Boy Scouts of America Troops 231 B&G
Taylor Cooper, Bryan High School Urban Agriculture Academy
John Dengel, Bellevue East High School
Steve Fox, Fontenelle Forest
Steve Rothe
Leah Wright, Dry Spokes
2023
Student Volunteers:
Jackie Petrow (Bellevue West)
Chloe Johnson (Omaha Students for Sustainability)
Ryan Quinn (Omaha Students for Sustainability)
Adult Volunteers:
Dave Heck, Solutions Lumber
Scott Bartlett, Omaha South
Matt Miller, Fontenelle Forest
Stephanie Finklea, Black Chick Farm
Sherry Hubbard
2022
Organization
Climate ExChange
Bellevue Native Plant Society
Midwest Natives Nursery
Latino Center of the Midlands: Siembra Raices
Adult Volunteers:
Abraham Mora
Amanda Angle
Dakota Staggs
Laura Jones
Luke Schroer
Megan Smith-Sellans
Nathan Duffy
Patrick Atwell
Witold Lehmann
Student Volunteers:
Maggie Stamp
LeMay Elementry School
Birchcrest Elementary School
2021
Student Volunteers:
Angel Strong
Mercedes Silva, GB Board
Maddy Vasquez, GB Board
Phoenix Stanford
Carlee Rigatuso
Elijah Bullie
Chloe Zarp
Annabelle Bindle
Gabriella Bullie
Ella Benson
Bellevue East Green Initiative
Government Recycling:
Bellevue Public Works
LaVista Public Works
Papillion Public Works
Adult Volunteers:
Annabel Major, GB Board
Jeremy Bowers, GB Board
Dr. Sarah Gaughan, GB Board
Holly Hofreiter, Tree Board
Debora Woracek, Tree Board
Scott Evans, Tree Board
Kay Baldwin
Ray & Lisa Turkle
Katie Preister
Senny Stanford
Nancy Crews
Stephanie Barelman
Taylor Hoenshell
Organization:
Fontenelle Forest Staff
2020
Education:
Director Kevyn Sopinski, Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District
Dr. Martha Shulski, Director of UNL’s NE State Climate Office
Henry Doorly Zoo Academy:
For the Fins: video and trashion fashion
Myo K Zine Soe, Trinity Lewis, Emma Stock, and Kayce Stevens
Pollinator Protectors: Amy Wagner, Julie Ferro and Haley Estlund (video)
Biocubed: (video) Figs Ju, Dylan Baker, Caitlin Copenhaver, Dylan Folda, Payton Detavernier.
Planet B: (video) Lexi Blankenfeld, Erin Teske, Kaya Koraleski, Tyler Mathews, Alyssa Flott
Nebraska Raptors (video) Sam Baratta, Blake Anderson, Jackson Henning, Erica Griffith, Ethan Smith
Zooniverse: (video) Aidan Hatfield, Maddy Jaksha, and Avery Wagner
On the Course: (video) Makenna Parks, Emily Nelson, and Alexis Hoover
Koleen Haldeman Co-Teachers (Also Tess Sykes, EC Award 2017)
Adult Volunteers:
Noah, Tara, & Carl Sundberg
Kerri Diez-Pillen
Kyle Bivens
Dr. John Kyndt
Dr. Tyler Moore
Leonor Choi
Kendra Terlson
Bob Fusselman
Student Volunteers:
Camden Foss
Riley Foss
Adelina Foss
Acelyn Dil
Student Projects:
Project Revitalize, Bellevue West FBLA
Baden Brumbaugh
Jack Mettin
Leah Larson
Pat Hinkle, Co-Advisor
Katthie Britten, Co-Advisor
2019
Dr. Ted Burk, Professor of Biology at Creighton University
Organizations:
Beardmore Subaru, ED sponsor & electric vehicles
ROI Consulting, Inc.
Hillside Solutions
OPPD
T.E.A.M.
Young Adults:
Zoo Academy
Sierra McMains
Lilia Alvarez
Rylee Canales
Bellevue West:
Arcelia Marquez, GB Board Member
Volunteering:
Dr. Sharon Rea
Andy Severson
Jennifer Hulscher
Gillian Cromwell
Albert Lierz, Clean energy electric cars
Graham Christensen, regenerative agriculture
Brian Kear, Bellevue University
Anita & Saul Soto, Zero waste and community garden
Craig Moody, renewable energy & efficiency
Libby Rea, Student, Volunteer
Garrett Sims, Zero Waste Foodstock events
Educators:
Dr. Mike Shambaugh-Miller, Leadership in food recovery
2018
Educators:
Kay Carne
Rachel Carraher
Betsy Goodman
Matt Gregory
Kyle Johnson
John Pollack
Josh Preister
Cliff Mesner
John Royster
Ben Samuelson
Dr. Jeremy White
Young Adults:
Patrick McGreal
Ellie Morrison
Lillian West
Rachel Williss
Volunteering:
Naomi Colby
Michelle Foss
Rocky Keehn
Mary Ann Krzemien
Jeanine Lackey
Kelly Mcvey
Frances Moore
Andrea Ortiz
Jimeal Phillips
Margaret Stamp
Sarah Supenski
Cheyenne Svenson
Youth:
Joslyn Stamp
2017
David Holtzclaw
Emily Salie
Eric Williams
David Holtzclaw
Zoo Academy Class 2017
Alex Wiles
Kylee Rene Fischer
Debbie Fischer
Bellevue Garden Club
Roger Cox
Hefty Bag Program
Martha Ruff
Gus von Roenn
Jeanine Lackey
Kat Woerners
Sarah Lively
Cathy Fugel
Alex Colby
Jill Krumbach
Corrie Oberdin
David Stotts
Tess Sykes
2016
Fitssentials - Business
Caleb Eby - Young Adult
Brook Riley- Young Adult
Allyson Marie Riley - Youth
Milisa Riley
County Commissioner Tom Richards
Seth Kron-Keith
Charlene Brown
Helen & Ken Deffenbacker
David Corbin
Michael Shonka
Jim & Marty Davis
Bellevue Public Schools
Della Lee
Bryan High School Thrive Leadership
Harmony Court- Business
2015
Gretna:
Andy Harpenau, Gretna Sanitation
Omaha:
Brittany Dabestani
Bellevue:
Epiphany Ramos, City of Bellevue
Kim Luik, Papillion Sanitation
Art Pawlak, Firstar Fiber
Nancy Scott
Sara Lee
Karissa Williams, Offutt Collision
Shelah Davis
Jennifer Wilson
Papillion:
Neal Von Seggern
Lacey Wrubel
LaVista:
Candy Bless
Business Awards:
Papillion Sanitation
Papio/Mo Natural Resources District
Great Southern Bank
UN at Omaha
Nebraska Medicine - Bellevue
Offutt Collision Repair
Young Adult:
Grace Wilson, Bellevue East
Youth:
Madeline Lee
Audrey Davis
Miranda Davis
Greta Jacobson
Julian Wrubel
2014
Youth:
Bobby Richter
William Richter
Emily Wilson
Kellen Bees
Trenton Shonka
Volunteering:
Alice Boeckman
Virginia Babcock Senator Sue Crawford
Graham Herbst
Marta Nieves
Mayor Rita Sanders Alan Weiss
2013
Jeff Rippe
Craig Christians
Becca Gilbert
Anthony Elias
Jennie Hovey
KKids - Bellevue Elementary
Alex Totman
Melissa Bees
Kay Baldwin
Cindy Ruffner
David Larrick
Maureen Kowker
Dale Gubbels
2012
Kevin Rohlfs, Bellevue West Principal
Alysa Dale
Congressional Awards Club/ EARTH-KIND volunteers:
Erica Lunde
Tristan Gilbert
Mystie Bracken
Bellevue West Ecology Club members:
Nicole DiPaolo
Hailey Stolze
Michael Maybe
Christian Pechler
Dave Babbitt
Carol Blood
Lisa Bethel-Didamo
Cynthia Hill
Mary Jo Hopfensperger
Bridgett Petzholdt
Megan Shonka
Michel Thornhill
Della Lee Wilson
Steve Thyberg
Marya Lucca-Thyberg
Shirley McNally
2011
Judy Lane
Ted Menzel
Julie Sorensen, Congressional Awards Club
Bellevue West High School
Church of the Holy Spirit, Fr. Tom Jones
St. Mary's School , Cindy Menzel
Marea Whitaker Bishop
Kathryn Ewing
Lisa Bonhert
Councilman Dave Sanborn
JoAnn Langabee
Mary Leahy
Julie Petr
2010
Julie McNally
Tonya Ward
Justin Evertson
Bob Hendrickson
Robert Clark
Harlan Hamernik
Kathleen Cue
Ben Frakes
Jeff Mesenbrink
Wake Robin School
Chad Zavala Chandler View School
Patti Smith, KIND Club
Gary Mixan
Terry Lee
Tom Mruz
Don Preister
Ruth Richter
Anita Eckley
Lisa Swanson
Wendy Lee
Dave Anson
Dana Conaway