Youth Leadership through Passion and Purpose

Honoring the 2026 WAEE Student of the Year & Earthguard Nominees

Hope, the only word that comes to mind as I read about the amazing students across the state bringing environmental education to life. Often, environmental education is looked over as just a curriculum plan or going outside, but Wisconsin’s youth are changing that narrative, showcasing that EE is a movement powered by the understanding that learning and action belong together. This year’s WAEE Student of the Year and Earth Guard nominees embody a shared truth: When students are trusted with responsibility, they don’t just learn about change, they lead it. From restoring watersheds in northern Wisconsin to installing solar panels in southern communities, from organizing statewide climate conferences to inspiring wonder at summer camps, these nominees demonstrate that environmental education thrives where passion meets purpose.

WAEE Student of the Year Nominees

Presented for outstanding student involvement in the field of environmental education and academic excellence.

Shannon Kearney

University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point

If environmental education is interdisciplinary, Shannon Kearney lives at its intersection. Shannon has spent the past two summers working at environmentally focused camps, serving last year in a leadership role coordinating and leading a nature center. There, she cultivated curiosity in young learners and modeled what it means to care deeply for the natural world.

“She is contributing to the field in a variety of ways which both further her own learning as a student, and support the people around her.” Nominator 

During the academic year, Shannon is a full-time student at UW–Stevens Point, where she serves as Vice President of the National Association for Interpretation’s campus chapter. She launched and co-led the WAEE Winter Workshop Planning Committee, guiding the organization of a professional conference that connects emerging and established environmental educators. Simultaneously, Shannon works part-time for the Center for Land Use Education, connecting with lake groups, professionals, and community stakeholders across Wisconsin. She presents at professional conferences and writes and edits for a statewide magazine focused on sustainable practices, bringing environmental education directly to decision-makers and communities.

And somehow, she balances it all while competing as a pole vaulter on the University Track Team. Her time management, leadership, and interdisciplinary skill set demonstrate what’s possible when passion drives purpose. Shannon doesn’t just participate in environmental education, she strengthens it at every level, from youth engagement to professional practice. She is, without question, a rising force in Wisconsin’s environmental education community.

Madeleine Bohn

Student at Madison East High School

Madeleine is a published author in The Nature of Our Times (2025, Paloma Press), an anthology created to accompany the first U.S. National Nature Assessment. When federal funding cuts canceled the assessment, the anthology became even more powerful, an independently published testament to youth voice and scientific urgency.

“Science tells us what is happening,” Madeleine says. “But stories remind us why it matters.”

As Director for the Wisconsin Youth Environmental Press Team, Madeleine recruits and edits young writers while contributing her own reporting and commentary on climate science and policy. She helps amplify youth perspectives across an international platform. She is also a core organizer of the Wisconsin Youth Climate Conference, which draws over 200 students annually. From website development and agenda creation to moderating panels and coordinating logistics, Madeleine ensures the event is both educational and empowering.

“The conference is about connection,” she explains. “When young people see they’re not alone in caring about climate, it changes everything.”

Her leadership extends locally, statewide and nationally as the president of her high school Green Club, organizer of voter canvassing, composting drives, and e-waste collections, plaintiff in Dunn vs. PSC with Midwest Environmental Advocates and Our Children’s Trust, organizer and speaker at the 2025 Wisconsin Climate March, and chapter lead for Citizens’ Climate Lobby Madison Youth Action Team.

At Green Club meetings, Madeleine begins with what she calls a “five-minute action,” a simple, immediate step members can take for the planet. “Climate action doesn’t always start big,” she says. “Sometimes it starts with one small, doable choice.” Madeleine reminds us that environmental education is not only about ecosystems, it is about democracy, justice, and youth voice.

WAEE Earth Guard Nominees

Presented in recognition of student leadership in developing and conducting outstanding environmental action projects.

Eagles Academy – Solon Springs

In a village of just 700 residents at the headwaters of the St. Croix River, Eagles Academy students asked a powerful question: “How can we revitalize the rain garden?”

After devastating flash floods in 2016, students recognized their community’s vulnerability and their responsibility. Working alongside Douglas County Land & Water Conservation, Solon Springs Forward, and local partners, they expanded and restored the community rain garden.They removed pavement to reduce runoff, planted native species, improved erosion control, and redesigned water flow to protect Park Creek and Lake St. Croix, waters that eventually connect to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico.

“Our rain garden doesn’t just protect our town,” one student shared. “It protects places we may never even see.”

Throughout the project, students integrated math, science, literacy, and civic engagement. They presented to the community, wrote newsletter articles, and are developing educational signage to increase awareness. They’ve continued invasive species removal, native plant restoration, and long-term sustainability planning, ensuring the project remains a living classroom and community asset. The Eagles Academy students demonstrate that even small communities can have watershed-wide impact.



Evansville High School Green Team

Since 2021, the Evansville High School Green Team has proven that sustained student leadership can transform a school’s energy future. After three years of planning, fundraising, and collaboration, students oversaw the installation of a 32-kW solar array, 60 rooftop panels generating clean energy for their school.

But they didn’t stop there. They removed over 300 unnecessary fluorescent bulbs, converted 75 fixtures to LED lighting, conducted energy audits, secured grants, including a WPPI Energy Energized Education Grant and launched a Renewable Energy Day for middle school students.

“Renewable energy stopped being abstract once we saw it on our roof,” one Green Team member reflected. “Now it’s part of our daily reality.”

The results speak volumes. Despite a 10% rise in electricity rates between 2022–2025, school energy spending dropped significantly, saving over $50,000 compared to 2022 costs. Students tracked the data themselves, linking classroom knowledge to measurable outcomes.

“This isn’t just about saving money,” a team leader said. “It’s about proving students can drive real solutions.” Their work reduced the school’s carbon footprint, strengthened community partnerships, and created a replicable model of experiential environmental education.