Keep America Beautiful Selects Second National Youth Advisory Council
STAMFORD, Conn., Sept. 19, 2013 /3BL Media/ – Keep America Beautiful (KAB) selected 10 high school students from across the country to serve on its second national Youth Advisory Council (YAC). The YAC, supported by a generous grant from the Wrigley Company Foundation, creates a framework for youth engagement with KAB, building on the model of youth leadership in KAB local and state affiliates while infusing a youth “voice” into KAB’s programs.
The newly-selected YAC members will act as ambassadors and leaders for youth service in their respective communities and states. The selection decisions were based on a written application, geographic representation, grade level (mixing different grades), and interest area (litter prevention, beautification and community greening, and waste reduction/recycling). No more than one member can represent any one state.
"It's critical that we reach the next generation of environmental stewards to change attitudes and behaviors about environmental issues," said Becky Lyons, COO of KAB. "Thanks to the Wrigley Company Foundation's commitment to environmental education, KAB has been able to develop programs such as the Youth Advisory Council to engage young adults in our mission."
The members of the 2013/2014 YAC class come from across the nation:
- Marie Armbruster, Lexington, Ky.
- Deja Chappelle, Montgomery, Ala.
- John Cuttino, Norway, S.C. (returning member)
- Karina Gonzalez, Downey, Calif. (returning member)
- Samantha Holmes, Ridgefield, Conn.
- Brandi Metzger, Indianapolis, Ind.
- Hasib Muhammed, Suwanee, Ga.
- Brandi Sieber, Gramercy, La.
- Reina Terada, Wilmington, N.C.
- Sarah Young, Pflugerville, Texas
Youth Advisory Council members will participate in the KAB National Conference in Charlotte, N.C., which takes place Feb. 3-6, 2014.
Through the generous support of the Wrigley Company Foundation, YAC members will be able to meet with like-minded youth with unique perspectives from across the country to provide a fresh outlook on many KAB programs and initiatives. With the Foundation’s support, YAC members will also learn about approaches for engaging youth in community service.
About Keep America Beautiful
Keep America Beautiful is the nation’s leading nonprofit that brings people together to build and sustain vibrant communities. With a network of more than 1,200 affiliate and participating organizations including state recycling organizations, we work with millions of volunteers to take action in their communities. Keep America Beautiful offers solutions that create clean, beautiful public places, reduce waste and increase recycling, generate positive impact on local economies and inspire generations of environmental stewards. Through our programs and public-private partnerships, we engage individuals to take greater responsibility for improving their community’s environment. For more information, visit kab.org and follow @kabtweet on Twitter.
About the Wrigley Company Foundation
The mission of the Wrigley Company Foundation is to help improve the health of people and our planet through sustainable initiatives focused in oral health and environmental stewardship as well as local needs that ensure a healthy community. Since its founding in 1987, the Wrigley Company Foundation has donated more than $54 million USD to charitable organizations improving lives around the world. For more information, visit www.wrigley.com and www.mars.com.
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