NC high school student wins presidential environmental award

North Carolina high school junior Sharon Chen earned a President’s Environmental Youth Award for developing a new, green method to recover copper from wood, which was presented at a ceremony at the White House today.

“To solve our future environmental challenges, young people need to understand the science behind the natural world – and create a personal connection to the outdoors,” EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said. “These teachers and students are demonstrating the important role of environmental education, and showing how individual actions can help address climate change, protect the air we breathe, and safeguard the water we drink.”

Chen’s project, entitled “A Green and Novel Technology for Recovering Copper and Wood from Treated Wood Waste—Part 1,” stands to serve a dual purpose in environmental stewardship, diverting wood and copper from landfills and reducing the need for sourcing new raw materials from natural resources. Chen, a Durham, North Carolina, resident, completed the project at North Mecklenburg High School, though she now attends North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.

Forty-three other students were honored at today’s ceremony, constituting an additional seven projects.