City names ten students as 'Eco Heroes'

Bloomington took a moment to honor its youngest environmentalists Wednesday evening in City Hall.

The Environmental Commission and the Office of the Mayor named 10 students “Eco Heroes.”

Slightly fewer than a hundred participants entered the second annual Eco Hero contest, open to grades k-12, Senior Environmental Planner Linda Thompson said.

Participants made projects including posters, birdhouses and a robot made from recycled materials, based on the theme “Eco-Heroes: How I put the ‘I’ in Environment.”

“The purpose is to remind the students to be conscientious about environmental issues,” Thompson said. “Hopefully, along the way they make adults more conscientious as well.”

Mayor Mark Kruzan shook the hand of each award recipient. Each received an award certificate and a gift bag sponsored by local businesses.

“We count on people your age to remind people our age that it’s important to recycle,” Kruzan said to the audience. “We are here to celebrate Earth Day and all you have done.”

The projects were displayed throughout the hall, including artwork with slogans such as “Help the penguins keep their home” and a depiction of “Eco man.”

Eight-year-old homeschooler Emma Golden received a third place award in her age group for her essay “Why I Love Curious Otters.”

Curious Otters is aprogram to teach 7 to 9-year-olds about plants, animals, survival skills and having fun outdoors, her instructors Monique Philpot and Kevin Glenn said.

Golden said her favorite part of the program is woodcarving and learning to start a fire.

Eighth-grader Hannah Kunzman from Jackson Creek Middle School created a watercolor painting of children in a tree holding signs displaying their efforts to protect
the earth.

She said being environmentally conscious is a critical issue.

“I think it’s really important, especially now with global warming,” she said.
The Eco Hero Committee was delighted by the submissions this year, Environmental Commission Chair Carrie Albright said.

“The aim of this project was to not only educate students about the environment, but encourage them to be active participants in their environment,” she said. “It is a sign, that without question, the Bloomington community, including its youngest members, will have a positive impact on the world.”

Thompson emphasized the students are a great example for the entire community.

“I think they are a good example of using their creativity to get their message across,” she said. “I tell you, there is nothing cuter. My face hurts from smiling looking at all the entries.”

Bloomington resident Greg Mitchell echoed this sentiment as he looked around at the colorful projects. Mitchell was at the ceremony because he is a member of the Green Team at his employer, educational stragey company Solution Tree, which sponsored an Eco Hero award.

“Sometimes I worry about handing the torch over to the next generation,” he said as his eyes scanned the artwork. “Then you see this and it’s heartening.”