SANTA BARBARA, Calif. – The annual Environmental Stewardship Awards lunch is honoring citizens, as young as eight years old, for their efforts to improve the environment.

This is part of the Earth Month events taking place in many communities.

Explore Ecology says the honorees will be local students, teachers, and community leaders who care for nature and lead impactful changes.

Their actions are both at their schools and in their communities.

One honoree is a Coastal Cleanup Day Site Captain who is just eight years old, another is a K/1st grade class who turned an empty patch of ground into a native plant sanctuary, and a high schooler who wanted to supply his cafeteria with fresh produce, so he grew some on campus.

Among the speakers will be Dr. Mary Khan, Superintendent of the Goleta Union School District, who will share insights about the importance of environmental education.

(More details, photos and video will be added here later today.)