Raleigh environmental awards honor students, nonprofits and businesses; RISA goes to Partners for Environmental Justice leader
April 25, 2026 | Raleigh, Wake County, North Carolina
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The Environmental Advisory Board presented awards at Raleigh's Earth Day ceremony recognizing students, community groups and businesses for climate and stewardship work.
The vice chair of the Environmental Advisory Board opened the awards program and highlighted projects across sectors. Youth winners in the 'trashion' fashion competition included Abigail Hoover (third), Charlie Gausman Nordwell (second) and Anne Nugent (first). Adult winners in the trashion category included Amari Rubenett and Christina Miloe among others.
The board honored the South East Raleigh Garden Collaborative with the 'Dare to be Green' award for projects to refurbish school gardens and build a community garden and Little Free Library. The Future of Water Stewardship award (presented in partnership with Raleigh Water) went to a student project; Amelia Hopkins was named as the student winner, with a representative accepting on her behalf.
Organizers recognized Highland UMC Community Victory Garden with the Community Action Award, noting the garden has contributed more than 25,000 pounds of fresh produce to the community and served as a model for many other gardens. The Food Recovery Network (NCSU chapter) was recognized for diverting about 7,000 pounds of prepared food and helping provide roughly 60,000 meals to a campus food pantry.
Other awards included the North Carolina State Sustainability Career Development Program for workforce education (accepted by Dr. Kendra Jenkins); Athena Woven and neighborhood creek stewardship for community resilience; and the Business Innovation Environmental Stewardship Award to Laura Olsen, founder of Trashy, for reusing polystyrene in campus materials. The RISA (Raleigh Environmental Stewardship Award) went to George Jones, executive director of Partners for Environmental Justice, for long-standing environmental-justice work protecting Walnut Creek and surrounding wetlands.
The awards were presented as part of a larger Earth Day program with more than 50 vendor tables and student exhibits; organizers encouraged attendees to stay for a student video showcase and an outdoor movie later that evening.
No formal municipal action or funding announcements tied specifically to the awards were made on stage during the presentation.
The vice chair of the Environmental Advisory Board opened the awards program and highlighted projects across sectors. Youth winners in the 'trashion' fashion competition included Abigail Hoover (third), Charlie Gausman Nordwell (second) and Anne Nugent (first). Adult winners in the trashion category included Amari Rubenett and Christina Miloe among others.
The board honored the South East Raleigh Garden Collaborative with the 'Dare to be Green' award for projects to refurbish school gardens and build a community garden and Little Free Library. The Future of Water Stewardship award (presented in partnership with Raleigh Water) went to a student project; Amelia Hopkins was named as the student winner, with a representative accepting on her behalf.
Organizers recognized Highland UMC Community Victory Garden with the Community Action Award, noting the garden has contributed more than 25,000 pounds of fresh produce to the community and served as a model for many other gardens. The Food Recovery Network (NCSU chapter) was recognized for diverting about 7,000 pounds of prepared food and helping provide roughly 60,000 meals to a campus food pantry.
Other awards included the North Carolina State Sustainability Career Development Program for workforce education (accepted by Dr. Kendra Jenkins); Athena Woven and neighborhood creek stewardship for community resilience; and the Business Innovation Environmental Stewardship Award to Laura Olsen, founder of Trashy, for reusing polystyrene in campus materials. The RISA (Raleigh Environmental Stewardship Award) went to George Jones, executive director of Partners for Environmental Justice, for long-standing environmental-justice work protecting Walnut Creek and surrounding wetlands.
The awards were presented as part of a larger Earth Day program with more than 50 vendor tables and student exhibits; organizers encouraged attendees to stay for a student video showcase and an outdoor movie later that evening.
No formal municipal action or funding announcements tied specifically to the awards were made on stage during the presentation.
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