Environment Champions: 2010-2025
2025
Student Volunteers:
Isabella Jascot, Bellevue East High School Green Initiative
Lisa Connell, Bellevue East High School Green Initiative
Tylana Tolbert, Bellevue East High School
Omaha South Science Green Club:
Abel Cano Alvarado
Julian Cano Alvarado
Edelyn M. Jimenez-Sanchez
Angel M. Perez Lopez
Evelyn D. Velazquez-Becerra
Ana M. Campos Gomez
Elliot R. Peterson
Adam J. Campagna
Adult Volunteers:
Mayor Rusty Hike
Justin Rush, Solutions Plastic, Green Bellevue Board Member
Bridget Navratil, OPPD, Green Bellevue Secretary
Brent Crampton, Hillside Solutions
Douglas Pillen, Green Bellevue Volunteer
Jody Rowan, Bellevue West High School
Ricky & Makayla Smith, Bee City USA Volunteer
Mike Beccard, City of Bellevue Grounds Keeper
Organizations:
Pollinator Alliance of the Heartland
Milkweed Matters
2024
Student Volunteers:
Victoria Bogatz, Bellevue East High School, Green Initiative
Izzy Hernandez, Bellevue West High School, Sustain Bell West
Aarg Patel, Bellevue West High School, Sustain Bell West
Adult Volunteers:
Nathaniel Bacon, Vice Principal, Bellevue East High School
Gary & Barbara Bittner, Boy Scouts of America Troops 231 B&G
Taylor Cooper, Bryan High School Urban Agriculture Academy
John Dengel, Bellevue East High School
Steve Fox, Fontenelle Forest, Green Bellevue Board Member
Steve Rothe, Native Gardening Educator
Leah Wright, Bee Keeper, Bee City USA Committee
2023
Student Volunteers:
Jackie Petrow, Bellevue West High School, Sustain Bell West
Chloe Johnson, Omaha Students for Sustainability
Ryan Quinn, Omaha Students for Sustainability
Adult Volunteers:
Dave Heck, Solutions Lumber
Scott Bartlett, Omaha South High School, Science Green Club Sponsor
Matt Miller, Fontenelle Forest
Stephanie Finklea, Black Chick Farm
Sherry Hubbard, Green Bellevue Volunteer
2022
Organizations:
Climate ExChange
Bellevue Native Plant Society
Midwest Natives Nursery
Latino Center of the Midlands: Siembra Raices
Student Volunteers and Schools:
Maggie Stamp
LeMay Elementry School
Birchcrest Elementary School
Adult Volunteers:
Abraham Mora
Amanda Angle
Dakota Staggs
Laura Jones, Two Springs Elementary
Luke Schroer
Megan Smith-Sellans
Nathan Duffy
Patrick Atwell
Witold Lehmann
2021
Student Volunteers:
Angel Strong, Farmers Market Volunteer, Miss Nebraska Earth
Mercedes Silva, Bellevue East High School, GB Board
Maddy Vasquez, Bellevue University, GB Board
Phoenix Stanford, Miss Teen Nebraska Environment
Carlee Rigatuso, Bellevue West High School, Sustain Bell West
Bellevue East Green Initiative
Elijah Bullie, Bellevue East Green Initiative
Chloe Zarp, Bellevue East High School, Green Initiative, GB Board
Annabelle Bindle,Bellevue East High School, Green Initiative
Gabriella Bullie,Bellevue East High School, Green Initiative
Ella Benson, Bellevue East High School, Green Initiative
Organization:
Fontenelle Forest
Adult Volunteers:
Annabel Major, GB Board
Jeremy Bowers, GB Board
Dr. Sarah Gaughan, GB Board
Holly Hofreiter, Tree Board
Debora Woracek, Tree Board
Scott Evans, Tree Board
Kay Baldwin, Earth Day volunteer
Ray & Lisa Turkle, GB Volunteer
Katie Preister, GB Coordinator
Senny Stanford, GB Volunteer
Nancy Crews, Milweed Matters, Bee City USA
Stephanie Barelman, Bellevue Native Plant Society, Bee City USA
Taylor Hoenshell, Bee City USA
City Waste Management:
Bellevue Public Works
LaVista Public Works
Papillion Public Works
2020
Zoo Academy:
Koleen Haldeman, Sponsor
For the Fins: video and trashion fashion
Myo K Zine Soe, Trinity Lewis, Emma Stock, and Kayce Stevens
Pollinator Protectors: Amy Wagner, Julie Ferro and Haley Estlund (video)
Biocubed: (video) Figs Ju, Dylan Baker, Caitlin Copenhaver, Dylan Folda, Payton Detavernier.
Planet B: (video) Lexi Blankenfeld, Erin Teske, Kaya Koraleski, Tyler Mathews, Alyssa Flott
Nebraska Raptors (video) Sam Baratta, Blake Anderson, Jackson Henning, Erica Griffith, Ethan Smith
Zooniverse: (video) Aidan Hatfield, Maddy Jaksha, and Avery Wagner
On the Course: (video) Makenna Parks, Emily Nelson, and Alexis Hoover
Earth Day Volunteers:
Camden Foss
Riley Foss
Adelina Foss
Acelyn Dil
Adult Volunteers:
Dr. Kerri Diez-Pillen, GB Board Member
Kyle Bivens, GB Board Member
Dr. John Kyndt, GB Board Member
Dr. Tyler Moore, GB Board Member
Noah Sundberg, GB Volunteer
Tara, & Carl Sundberg, GB Volunteer
Leonor Choi, GB Volunteer
Kendra Terlson, GB Volunteer
Bob Fusselman, GB Volunteer
Education:
Director Kevyn Sopinski, Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District
Dr. Martha Shulski, Director of UNL’s NE State Climate Office
Students, Clubs, Projects:
Project Revitalize, Bellevue West FBLA:
Baden Brumbaugh
Jack Mettin
Leah Larson
Pat Hinkle, Co-Advisor
Katthie Britten, Co-Advisor
2019
Dr. Ted Burk, Professor of Biology at Creighton University
Graham Christensen, regenerative agriculture
Anita & Saul Soto, Zero waste and community garden
Craig Moody, renewable energy & efficiency
Organizations:
Beardmore Subaru, EV sponsor & electric vehicles
ROI, Inc.
Hillside Solutions
OPPD
T.E.A.M.
Young Adults:
Libby Rea, Student
Zoo Academy:
Sierra McMains
Lilia Alvarez
Rylee Canales
Volunteering:
Dr. Sharon Rea, Bellevue University, GB Board Member
Andy Severson, Bellevue Public Schools GB Board Member
Jennifer Hulscher, GB Board Member
Gillian Cromwell, GB Board Member
Arcelia Marquez, Student GB Board Member
Albert Lierz, Clean energy electric cars
Brian Kear, Bellevue University
Garrett Sims, Zero Waste Foodstock events
Educators:
Dr. Mike Shambaugh-Miller, Leadership in food recovery
2018
Educators:
Kay Carne
Rachel Carraher
Betsy Goodman
Matt Gregory
Kyle Johnson
John Pollack
Josh Preister
Cliff Mesner
John Royster
Ben Samuelson
Dr. Jeremy White
Young Adults:
Patrick McGreal
Ellie Morrison
Lillian West
Rachel Williss
Volunteering:
Cheyenne Svenson, GB Board Member
Michelle Foss, GB Board Member
Rocky Keehn
Mary Ann Krzemien
Jeanine Lackey
Kelly Mcvey
Frances Moore
Andrea Ortiz
Jimeal Phillips
Margaret Stamp
Sarah Supenski
Naomi Colby
Youth:
Joslyn Stamp
2017
David Holtzclaw
Emily Salie
Eric Williams
Roger Cox
Debbie Fischer
Alex Wiles
Students, Clubs:
Zoo Academy Class 2017
Kylee Rene Fischer
Organizations:
Bellevue Garden Club
Hefty Energy Bag Program
Volunteers:
Martha Ruff, GB Board
Gus von Roenn, GB Board Member
Jeanine Lackey, GB Board Member
Kat Woerners, Student Bellevue West Ecology Club, GB Board Member
Sarah Lively, GB Board Member
Cathy Fugel
Alex Colby
Jill Krumbach
Corrie Oberdin
David Stotts
Tess Sykes
2016
Students/Clubs:
Caleb Eby - Young Adult
Brook Riley- Young Adult
Allyson Marie Riley - Youth
Bryan High School Thrive Leadership
Organizations:
Bellevue Public Schools
Fitssentials
Harmony Court
Volunteers:
Seth Kron-Keith, GB Board
Helen & Ken Deffenbacker
David Corbin
Michael Shonka
Jim & Marty Davis
Della Lee
Milisa Riley
Tom Richards, County Commissioner
Charlene Brown
2015
Volunteers:
Brittany Dabestani, GB Coordinator
Epiphany Ramos, City of Bellevue, GB Board Member
Kim Luik, Papillion Sanitation, GB Board Member
Art Pawlak, Firstar Fiber, GB Board Member
Nancy Scott, Board Member
Andy Harpenau, Gretna Sanitation
Sara Lee
Karissa Williams, Offutt Collision
Shelah Davis
Jennifer Wilson
Neal Von Seggern
Lacey Wrubel
Candy Bless
Business Awards:
Papillion Sanitation
Papio/Mo Natural Resources District
Great Southern Bank
UN at Omaha
Nebraska Medicine - Bellevue
Offutt Collision Repair
Students:
Grace Wilson, Bellevue East
Madeline Lee
Audrey Davis
Miranda Davis
Greta Jacobson
Julian Wrubel
2014
Youth:
Bobby Richter
William Richter
Emily Wilson
Kellen Bees
Trenton Shonka
Volunteers:
Alice Boeckman, Bellevue Library, GB Board
Virginia Babcock, GB Board
Mayor Rita Sanders
Senator Sue Crawford
Graham Herbst
Marta Nieves
Alan Weiss
2013
Craig Christians
Becca Gilbert
Anthony Elias
Schools Clubs:
Maureen Kowker, Sponsor, KKids
KKids - Bellevue Elementary
Volunteers:
Alex Totman, GB Board Member
Melissa Bees, GB Board Member
Jennie Hovey, GB Board Member
Jeff Rippe, Asst. Superintendent, Bellevue Public Schools GB Board
Kay Baldwin
Cindy Ruffner
David Larrick
Dale Gubbels, Firstar Fiber
2012
Schools, Students, Clubs:
Della Lee Wilson, Student GB Board Member, Bellevue East High School
Kevin Rohlfs, Bellevue West Principal
Alysa Dale
Bellevue West Ecology Club members:
Steve Thyberg, Bellevue West Ecology Club Sponsor
Nicole DiPaolo
Hailey Stolze
Michael Maybe
Christian Pechler
Congressional Awards Club/ EARTH-KIND volunteers:
Erica Lunde
Tristan Gilbert
Mystie Bracken
Marya Lucca-Thyberg, St. Mary’s Schools
Volunteers:
Lisa Bethel-Didamo, GB Board Member
Cynthia Hill, GB Board Member
Mary Jo Hopfensperger, GB Board Member
Bridgett Petzholdt, GB Board Member
Dave Babbitt
Sen. Carol Blood
Megan Shonka
Michel Thornhill
Shirley McNally
2011
Clubs & Organizations:
Julie Sorensen, Congressional Awards Club
Bellevue West High School
Church of the Holy Spirit, Fr. Tom Jones
St. Mary's School, Cindy Menzel
Ted Menzel, Teacher Wake Robin
Volunteers:
JoAnn Langabee, GB Board Member
Kathryn Ewing, GB Board Member
Lisa Bonhert
Councilman Dave Sanborn
Marea Whitaker Bishop
Mary Leahy
Julie Petr
Judy Lane
2010
Julie McNally, GB Board Member
Tonya Ward, GB Board Member
Volunteers:
Justin Evertson
Bob Hendrickson
Robert Clark
Harlan Hamernik
Kathleen Cue
Ben Frakes
Jeff Mesenbrink
Schools:
Wake Robin School
Chad Zavala, Principal
Patti Smith, KIND Club
Chandler View School
Founding GB Members:
Mayor Gary Mixan
Terry Lee, GB Board Member
Tom Mruz, GB Board Member
Coucilman Don Preister, Board Member
Ruth Richter, GB Board Member
Anita Eckley, GB Board Member
Lisa Swanson, GB Board Member
Wendy Lee, GB Board Member
Dave Anson, GB Board Member
Dana Conaway, GB Board Member