FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 28, 2005
CONTACT: Sarah Williams, (850) 245-2112

DEP Congratulates 2005 Jiminy Cricket Environmentality Award Winners

--Partnership encourages students to protect the environment, conserve resources--

ORLANDO – Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary Colleen M. Castille today joined The Walt Disney World Co. to honor this year’s winners of Jiminy Cricket’s Environmentality Challenge. At a special Environmentality ceremony at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, students from Tradewinds Elementary School in Coconut Creek were recognized as the statewide winners of the Challenge.

“These young Floridians are environmental leaders in their communities, leading the way in protecting the environment and preserving habitat,” said DEP Secretary Castille. “The Environmentality Challenge provides a wonderful educational opportunity, incorporating student learning with hands-on projects and creating environmental stewards for Florida’s future.”

Secretary Castille was joined at the event by Vice President of Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Animal Programs Dr. Beth Stevens, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Multi-Market Business Development , Walt Disney World Co. Jerry Montgomery and Walt Disney World Ambassador Christopher White.

The statewide challenge, spearheaded by Walt Disney World Co. and the Department of Environmental Protection, promotes environmental education and encourages fifth graders to actively participate in the protection of their local environment. Each year, all state fifth grade classes are invited to take the challenge. Since 1998, more than 20,000 students have completed a community or schoolyard environmental project and more than 61,000 students have pledged to help protect their environment.

“From reading to science, education about the environment captivates, inspires and motivates students to learn about any subject,” said Secretary Castille. “Encouraging conservation at a young age promotes environmental citizenship and allows students to pass these behaviors on to their parents and community.”

This year’s statewide winners educated fellow students and the community about easily-adopted environmental protection habits through their project “Butterfly Brigade.” Students from Tradewinds Elementary School initiated a school-wide recycling program, in addition to launching an adopt-a-street program in their community.

The state champion and five regional winners were chosen from among 47 submissions:

• Northwest Florida: “Batty About Bats!” by Walker Elementary, Crestview. Students educated the community on the benefits of bats and how to create a desirable habitat for bat species.
   
• Northeast Florida: “Manatee Project” by Cornerstone Elementary, Bunnell. Students researched manatees and shared their discoveries with their school community.
   
• Central Florida: “S.A.F.E. (Save Animals From Extinction)” by Woodlands Elementary, Longwood. The project educated students, families and community members about problems facing Florida’s endangered and threatened species, including species of special concern.
   
• Southwest Florida: “Protecting our Watershed” by Cypress Creek Elementary, Ruskin. Students informed the community about unconscious actions that can have adverse cumulative impacts on local watersheds.
   
• South Florida: “Junior Creek Explorers” by J. Colin English Elementary, North Fort Myers. Students promoted water conservation by creating and sharing a watershed model with their community.