Caring for our Watersheds

2023 Winners


Winners Announced for Youth Environmental Contest

Sacramento, CA - The Caring for Our Watersheds proposal writing contest challenges students to research their local watershed, identify an environmental concern, and develop a realistic project to address that concern in their community. Students with the top ten proposals of 339 that were reviewed presented their ideas to a panel of judges at the final competition. First place is $1,000 cash to the winning team and $1,000 cash to the winning team’s school. In total, over $27,000 in prize and implementation money is available to students and schools who participate in the program. Finalists were from the following schools: Foresthill High School, George Washington Carver School of Arts and Sciences, Mira Loma High School, Sierra Academy of Expeditionary Learning, Sacramento Waldorf School, and Winters Middle School. Caring for Our Watersheds is a joint program of Nutrien and the Center for Land-Based Learning.

Caring for Watersheds 1st Place

Ella Dumars is proud to place first in the 2023 Caring for Our Watersheds contest for her proposal to raise awareness and expand access to sustainable menstrual products. Her project aims to reduce single-use plastic waste, educate consumers, and address period poverty, as menstrual products, especially sustainable alternatives, are not covered under supplemental benefit programs such as SNAP. Ella developed a pilot website and designed an accompanying brochure that will aid in the implementation of her project.

For first place in the contest, Ella won $1,000 for herself and $1,000 for her school, Mira Loma High School. In total, students compete for over $6,000 cash rewards and participating schools are eligible for over $11,000 cash rewards. Nutrien also provides $10,000 in funding to help implement students' ideas.

"The purpose of the contest is simple," says Nutrien's Senior Manager of Community Relations and Investment, Rose Lecky. "Our goal is to encourage students to learn about their local watershed and be inspired to make improvements to the land, air and water. With community and school support, we have seen the creativity and determination students have for protecting and preserving the environment. It's inspiring when they turn their ideas into reality."

Each year more projects are implemented with the help of community resources and environmental organizations. Anyone who enters the contest is eligible for funding to complete their project. "Seeing students implement their projects is truly impressive. Caring for Our Watersheds not only encourages youth-led ideas, but helps make them happen," says Beth Del Real of Center for Land-Based Learning.


The full press release can be read here:
Caring for our Watersheds 2023 Final Competition Press Release [PDF]


2023 Finalists


Caring for Watersheds 2023 Finalists

Media Contacts:

Beth Del Real, Coordinator
Center for Land-Based Learning
(530) 795-1520
Email: beth@landbasedlearning.org

Rose Lecky, Sr. Manager, Community Relations
Nutrien
(403) 225-7266
Email: Rose.lecky@nutrien.com

For more information please visit: Caring for our Watersheds

About Nutrien
Nutrien is the world’s largest provider of crop nutrients, inputs, and services, playing a critical role in helping growers around the globe increase food production in a sustainable manner. With over 23,000 employees – and operations and investments in 13 countries – Nutrien’s crop inputs and services reach every major growing region of the world. For more information, visit www.nutrien.com