L-R front row: Ann Maine, SMC Commissioner; Noemi Montoya, Round Lake High School; Hiram Tun, North Chicago High School; Adrian Diaz, Waukegan High School; Yari Cortez, Highland Park High School; Susie Hoffmann, CCL Director; Gay Georgi, LFOLA Board Member; Maddie Nelson, Warren Township High School; back row: Maria Rodriguez, SMC Vice Chair; Anne Flanigan Bassi, SMC Commissioner; Mike Warner, SMC Executive Director.

Submitted by the Lake County Stormwater Management Commission

Libertyville — The Lake County Stormwater Management Commission (SMC) handed out 5 awards at its 6th Annual Stormwater Awards presented on December 1. The awards recognize the efforts of individuals, local governments, groups, and others who are reporting on, advocating, or implementing projects and programs that improve Lake County watersheds and natural resources.

“SMC is celebrating its 20th anniversary and this year’s award recipients reflect two decades of flood reduction, natural resource protection and water quality improvements. Equally important the efforts by these groups and individuals speaks volumes about the importance of stewardship and effective stormwater management,” said Mike Warner, SMC executive director.

Among the winners was Lake Forest Open Lands Association’s Center for Conservation Leadership, which received the 2011 Stewardship of the Year Award.

The Stormwater Management Commission’s (SMC) Executive Director Mike Warner made the following comments upon presenting the CCL group with their award:

“Engaging the next generation returns countless rewards. The CCL was the brainchild of Lake Forest Open Lands Association. With their support, the CCL has forged a creative approach to engaging next generation
conservation leaders by creating a program that is representative of the diversity in Lake County.

“CCL’s programmatic focus on water and watersheds offers each student a hands-on learning experience by seeing and doing in an outdoor watershed classroom. Respecting and understanding nature and vital resources like water is creating life-long stewardship opportunities for the students for the benefit of Lake County’s abundance of natural resources. SMC predicts CCL graduates will carry the torch for conservation to a larger audience and take pride knowing the conservation seed was planted in Lake County. “

CCL students, Yari Cortez, junior at Highland Park High School, Adrian Diaz, senior at Waukegan High School, Noemi Montoya, junior at Round Lake High School, Maddie Nelson, freshman at Warren Township High School and Hiram Tun, sophomore at North Chicago Community High School accepted the award on behalf of the 35 CCL students. They were joined by Lake Forest Open Lands Association Board members Gay Georgi and Nancy Clemens and CCL Program Director Susie Hoffmann.

Other SMC award recipients were the City of Highland Park, Waukegan Park District’s Community Sports Complex and Roosevelt Park Stormwater BMP and Education Project, Diane Kuyper of the News Sun and Jim Hayner, Administrator, Village of Gurnee.