News Releases - 2003

Four Students Receive Environmental Excellence Award From IEPA

Springfield, Ill. -- The Illinois EPA presented the Environmental Excellence Award to five Illinois students at the State Science Fair, hosted by the Illinois Junior Academy of Science, in Champaign on Saturday. These projects were selected from over 1,000 projects submitted in 18 different categories.

The Environmental Excellence Award focuses on projects that promote and enhance the protection and care of the environment. Four projects were selected for recognition, two in each division: Junior (grades 7 and 8) and Senior (grades 9-12). In each division, projects for an Outstanding Achievement and Second Place were selected.

“The Illinois EPA supports students with an interest in science, through the Environmental Excellence Award and our many other environmental education programs,” said Illinois EPA Director Renee Cipriano. “I hope this encourages them to go beyond the limits of the classroom in developing their own ideas and perhaps aiding them in their progress towards a career in science.”

The Illinois Junior Academy of Science exists for the benefit of students. It provides students insight into the problems and methods of thinking that are particular to the scientist but applicable to other occupations. It includes information concerning new investigations and discoveries in science and an understanding of the science-produced equipment used.

The criteria for the Illinois EPA’s Environmental Excellence Award included issues such as addressing preventing pollution, the remediation of air, land or water, or analyzing the effect of pollution on our environment.

Students whose projects were recognized for Outstanding Achievement will receive a $100 U.S. Savings bond, a plaque and certificate. The students whose projects were selected for Second Place recognition will receive a plaque and certificate.

The winners were:

Outstanding - Senior Division:

Arun P. Thottumkara – Grade 11, Macomb High School, Macomb. The project was: “Eco-Friendly Hypervalent Iodine Reagents in Organic Synthesis.”

Outstanding - Junior Division:

Terry Tao – Grade 8 and Minku Lee – Grade 8 Thomas G. Scullen Middle School, Naperville, Project: “Biogas: An Innovative Fuel for Now and Forever.”

Second Place - Senior Division:

Cesar Marquez – Grade 10, A. G. Lane Technical College Prep High School, Chicago, Project: “CaCO3 Used in Liming: Does it Aid Volvox?”

Second Place - Junior Division:

Samantha Barron – Grade 8, Wood Oaks Junior High School, Northbrook. The project was titled “How Does Highway Pollution Affect Plant Growth?”