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