Past Winners
2023 Final Results
Thank you to all of the students who participated in this contest. Over 245 entries were received!
The $1,000 first place prize was awarded to Natalie Vieira from Rocky Mountain High School for her proposal called, “Water: It’s Worth a Dam!”
| GRADES 9 – 12 | ||||
| Final Place | Award | Student Name(s) | Proposal Name | School |
| 1 | $1,000 | Natalie Vieira | Water: It’s Worth a Dam! | Rocky Mountain HS |
| 2 | $900 | Sadie Gudmestad | Do Something Sweet for the Environment | Rocky Mountain HS |
| 3 | $800 | Peyton Hagan | How Dog Waste Stations will Improve Our Watershed | Roosevelt HS |
| 4 | $700 | Anya Wieder and Taryn McDermid | Northern Redbelly Dace Conservation | Innovation Center of St. Vrain Valley Schools |
| 5 | $600 | Callen Solley | The Hole Picture | Rocky Mountain HS |
| 6 | $500 | Mackenzie Flikkema and Ryan Lee | Shed ED | Resurrection Christian HS |
| 7 | $450 | Ella Corrigan and Reagan McWhinney | Helping our Watershed One Bioreactor at a Time | Resurrection Christian HS |
| 8 | $400 | Alexa Tovar and Jonathan Carlson | Reducing Litter and Trash in School Parking Lot | Roosevelt HS |
| 9 | $350 | Isabella Caterisano and Nera Wilson | Follow the litter | Rocky Mountain HS |
| 10 | $300 | Lilian Pham | Powering The World, One Step At A Time | Roosevelt HS |
| Runner-up | $100 | Ian McPhail and Ibrahim Bdawi | Grow your own paints! | Rocky Mountain HS |
| Runner-up | $100 | Lida De Los Santos | Thrifty tote bags | Greeley West HS |
| Runner-up | $100 | Haylie Ritter and Zoe Iverson | Our environment is in danger but we have an un-BEE-leivable solution | Rocky Mountain HS |
| Runner-up | $100 | Olivia Martinez | Why we need green cleaning | Berthoud HS |
| Runner-up | $100 | Xavier Reichel, Ohzetnah, Juan Ayala-Reyes, and Austin McKinney | Bat Boxes | Greeley Central HS |
| Honorable Mention | Gift | Oscar Michelle Fastabend | Cleaning up Irrigation Canal Next to My House | Fort Collins HS |
2022 Final Results
Thank you to all of the students who participated in this contest. Over 280 entries were received.
The $1,000 first place prize was awarded to Joshua Lark and Wilson Caradoc from Rocky Mountain High School for their proposal called, “Mama Otter Saves the Day.”
| Final Place | Award | Student Name(s) | Proposal Name | School |
| 1 | $1,000 | Joshua Lark, Wilson Caradoc | Mama Otter Saves The Day | Rocky Mountain HS |
| 2 | $900 | Miles Willard | Can Soil Really Damage Our Economy? | Rocky Mountain HS |
| 3 | $800 | Elijah Dougherty, Jack Lawrence, Jacob Riemer, Malachi Fast | Sustainable Rain Garden | Dayspring Christian Academy |
| 4 | $700 | Jack Devincenzi | Protecting the Sherwood Straight | Fort Collins HS |
| 5 | $600 | Sayre Loy, Sophia Jess | Splish Splash Education Time! | Rocky Mountain HS |
| 6 | $500 | Corrin Sides, Karrin Chandler, Kylie Van Iddekinge | Aluminum Recycling Program | Dayspring Christian Academy |
| 7 | $450 | Evelyn Railsback, Sadie Gudmestad | There’s No Plan Bee | Rocky Mountain HS |
| 8 | $400 | Jake Anselmo | To FLY you must eat first! | Rocky Mountain HS |
| 9 | $350 | Lana Coron, Mariah Glasper | Think Before You Throw It Out | Union Colony Prep |
| 10 | $300 | Chloe Pettit | Art the Smart Way | Rocky Mountain HS |
| Runner-up | $100 | Gabriella Lam, Joselly Vazquez | Pollinator Planters | Greeley West High School |
| Runner-up | $100 | Rylan Nicholson | Saving our watershed and decreasing inequality, one fork at a time. | Rocky Mountain HS |
| Honorable Mention (implementing) | Gift | Anayeli Martinez Lazalde | Dreaming in Purple | Greeley West High School |
| Honorable Mention (implementing) | Gift | Nihit Panth | Educate the People! | Greeley West High School |
| Honorable Mention (implementing) | Gift | Cassidy Poley, Maerron Lovern, Olivia Chamberlain | The Problem with Menstrual Waste | Roosevelt HS |
| Honorable Mention (implementing) | Gift | Austin Cecil, Arthur Race,
Edward Race, Talon Fusco |
Educating Peers on Environmentally Responsible Vehicle Maintenance | Dayspring Christian Academy |
| Honorable Mention | Gift | Deisy Adriana Pena Caño | GUM BIN PROJECT | Greeley Central High School |
| Honorable Mention | Gift | Brady Jancek, Danny Shepherd, Joshua Cantu, Kamden Norgren | Tire Pressure in Relation to Emissions | Resurrection High School |
2021 Final Results
Thank you to all of the students who participated in this contest. Over 200 entries were received.
The $1,000 first place prize was awarded to Saria Mowrer from Greeley Central High School for her proposal called, “Bracelets for Bats.”
| GRADES 9-12 | ||||
| Final Place | Award | Student Name(s) | Proposal Name | School |
| 1 | $1,000 | Saria Mowrer | Bracelets for Bats | Greeley Central HS |
| 2 | $900 | Kimberly Gonzales Jimenez | Our Blooming Watershed | Greeley Central HS |
| 3 | $800 | Juan Reveles Hernandez | Education for Younger Generations | Northridge HS |
| 4 | $700 | Emma Eddy | #WaterShedWash | Fort Collins HS |
| 5 | $600 | Brookelynn Hernandez, Helena Rangel | Mother Native | Greeley West HS |
| 6 | $500 | Pamela Perez | The Panda’s Choice | Northridge HS |
| 7 | $450 | Yaritza Morfin | Cutlery Can be Decomposable? | Northridge HS |
2020 Final Results
Thank you to all of the students who participated in this contest. Over 450 entries were received.
| GRADES 9 – 12 | ||||
| Placement | Award | Student Name(s) | Proposal Name | School |
| Finalist | $600 | Erik Hernandez | Reusable Bags | Northridge High School |
| Finalist | $600 | Gwen Turney | Children’s Book About the Danger of Plastic | Fort Collins High School |
| Finalist | $600 | Hope Jackson | Operation Pollinator | Roosevelt High School |
| Finalist | $600 | Jeb Matthews | Building a Poudre Watershed Board Game | Greeley West High School |
| Finalist | $600 | Jorge Rubio | Replacing Sinks will Preserve our Watershed | Greeley Central High School |
| Finalist | $600 | Karina Castro-Castaneda | EDUCATE! | Northridge High School |
| Finalist | $600 | Nathaniel Perez | Don’t let the water run in the sink | Northridge High School |
| Finalist | $600 | Rachel Troyer | Reel ‘Em In and Clean ‘Em Up | Northridge High School |
| Finalist | $600 | Tod Allen Buseman | Plastic Saver | Northridge High School |
| Finalist | $600 | Kelsey Mettler | Efficient Water Practices and Appliances Campaign | Mountain View |
| Honorable Mention | $40 Gift Card | Cadence Wood | Think Before You Throw It Out | Union Colony Preparatory School |
| Honorable Mention | $40 Gift Card | Ryan Suckow | Don’t Waste your Waste | Fossil Ridge High School |
2019 Final Results
The final presentations were held at the Poudre Learning Center on May 10, 2019.
| Final Place | Award | Student Name(s) | Proposal Name | School |
| 1 | $1,000 | Emma Lackey, Rachel Feinstein | Got Bags? | Greeley Central HS |
| 2 | $900 | Daniel Rodriguez, Elian Martinez | Fish Pets Help Prevent Upset Species | Northridge HS |
| 3 | $800 | Alexandria Sherman-Sutton | Poopy Problems | Greeley Central HS |
| 4 | $700 | Jessica Mora | Small, Green, and Mean | Union Colony Prep |
| 5 | $600 | Eliana R Mascarenas | Let’s Stop Sitting on the Issue, and Sit on the Solution | Greeley Central HS |
| 6 | $500 | Sergio Lopez, Daniel Casas | For Your Tires | Northridge HS |
| 7 | $450 | Jack Matthews | String Quartet in B♭ | Greeley Central HS |
| 8 | $400 | Gabriela Carcasson, Madison Torrey, Jack Kraus, David Casey | Energy Saving Campaign | Fossil Ridge HS |
| 9 | $350 | Branden Wiechert, Trey Grass | Water Tolerance 101 | Fort Collins HS |
| 10 | $300 | Carson Duemig, Nik Hochheimer, Jaron Davis, Jeremy Gray | Abstract Awareness painting | Mountain View HS |
2018 Final Results
The final presentations were held at the University of Northern Colorado on May 11, 2018.
| Final Place | Award | Student Name(s) | Proposal Name | School |
| 1 | $1,000 | Grace Patrick | Earth, we are on the Last Straw | Greeley Central High School |
| 2 | $900 | Gianna Uyemura | Lead with LED | Greeley Central High School |
| 3 | $800 | Abby Howshar, Fernanda Sandri, Cole Glover | Recycling Signs | Fossil Ridge High School |
| 4 | $700 | Brecken Sawyer, William Loecke, Regan Craig | Water Down The Drain | Roosevelt High School |
| 5 | $600 | S. Greta Krombholz | The Bees Knees | Greeley Central High School |
| 6 | $500 | Meghan Lucero, Riley Lundgreen, Kelden Cook | Bee Gardens To Promote The Growth of Our Watersheds | Berthoud High School |
| 7 | $450 | Hanna Knoedler | Use Every Last Drop | Northridge High School |
| 8 | $400 | Haley Wood | Lighting the Way to a Better “Watts”-ershed | Union Colony Preparatory School |
| 9 | $350 | Tori Dellwardt, Tyler Adams, Samantha Mulder, Everett Baskall | The Energizer Bunny Recycles Too | Berthoud High School |
| 10 | $300 | Reece Wilson, Miles Scharte | Recycling the Broken Technology of Yesterday | Fossil Ridge High School |
2017 Final Results
The final presentations were held at the University of Northern Colorado on May 12, 2017.
| Project Name | Name | School Name | Final Placement | Cash Award |
| Lunch Waste | Mazlyn Freier | Greeley Central High School | 1 | $1,000 |
| Trash or Treasure | Inidgo Parlin | Greeley Central High School | 2 | $900 |
| Smarter Sprinkler | Cam Eldridge, Patrick James, Tyler Woodbrey | Roosevelt High School | 3 | $800 |
| One Paint Can at a Time | Erin Engels, Keana Morris | Roosevelt High School | 4 | $700 |
| Pollinators | Aubrey Chacon, Monica Chacon | Union Colony Preparatory School | 5 | $600 |
| Bee a Positive Change | Brooklyn Johnson | Northridge High School | 6 | $500 |
| What’s the Buzz | Delaney Fouts, Emma Stippich | Berthoud High School | 7 | $450 |
| 10 Years of Pollution | Kristopher, Thomas Blake, Dalton Yost | Roosevelt High School | 8 | $400 |
| Batting Bugs Naturally | Devyn Wood | Roosevelt High School | 9 | $350 |
| Phyte Club | Dustin Elkins, Alexandria Riesberg | Greeley Central High School | 10 | $300 |
| Project Name | Student(s) Names | School | Placement | Award |
| Don’t be Cruel, Recycle at School | Kayla Johnson, Mattea Klein, Aubrey Wallace | Roosevelt High School | Thalweg | $100 |
| Protect Our Pollinators | Riley Wooten | Greeley Central High School | Thalweg | $100 |
| Rain Away | Emma Garner | Berthoud High School | Thalweg | $100 |
2016 Final Results
The final presentations were at the University of Northern Colorado on May 13, 2016.
| GRADES 9-12 | ||||
| Final Place | Award | Student Name(s) | Proposal Name | School |
| 1 | $1,000 | Emily Casper | Riparian Restoration | Berthoud High School |
| 2 | $900 | Gabrielle Mizer, Renee Raak | No More Trash Talking | Berthoud High School |
| 3 | $800 | Madeleine Dreiling,Reina Giford, Lindy Muttel | Destination Conservation | Greeley Central High School |
| 4 | $700 | Jasmine Szabo, Annabelle Selders | Hazardous Households: Is yours one? | Union Colony Preparatory School |
| 5 | $600 | J.C. Arce | Of Gardens and Guys | Greeley Central High School |
| 6 | $500 | Kendra Myers | Bees: Small but Mighty | Greeley Central High School |
| 7 | $450 | Luis Torres, Edward Longoria | Electric hand Dryers and Waste Management | Northridge High School |
| 8 | $400 | Roberto Ortega | Aeration Conservation | Greeley Central High School |
| 9 | $350 | Ben Schoenthaler, Mailey Trujillo | Collecting Clothes for a Cause | Northridge High School |
| 10 | $300 | Madelyn Wampler, Em Richards | Peer Pressure Keeps a Dock Afloat | Greeley Central High School |
2015 Final Results
The final presentations were at the University of Northern Colorado on May 15, 2015.
| Final Placement | Award | Student(s) | Proposal | School |
| 1 | $1,000 | Jeremy Hundley | GUSTO-MATIC 5280-X | Greeley Central High School |
| 2 | $900 | Jacy McNulty & Sara Godfrey | Quitting the Bottle | Berthoud High School |
| 3 | $800 | Ari VanLoo, Ana Valdovinos & Caleb Steitz | Using Bats to Stop Bugging the Poudre | Greeley Central High School |
| 4 | $700 | Brenna McWhorter & Jack Vance/td> | Environmentally Friendly Household Cleaners | Union Colony Preparatory School |
| 5 | $600 | Chelsea Haffner & Leathia Cervantes | Shotgun Shell Recycling | Union Colony Preparatory School |
| 6 | $500 | Esmeralda Flores, Valerie Reyes & Efren Hernandez | Education is the most powerful weapon for changing the world | Greeley Central High School |
| 7 | $450 | Annika Ceehorne | Misdeed of the Microbead | Greeley Central High School |
| 8 | $400 | Haylee Terrill & Emelie Parkos | Beautiful Gardens of Hope | Greeley Central high School |
| 9 | $350 | Nicholas Patinella & Holly Kozlowski | Beautiful Bee Box | Berthoud High School |
| 10 | $300 | Anna D’Amico, Payton Von Lintel & Jenna Whitmore | Lights on Lights off | Berthoud High School |
2014 Final Results
The final presentations were at the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO on May 2, 2014.
| Final Placement | Award | Student(s) | Proposal | School |
| 1 | $1,000 | Danielle Araujo & Manny Araujo | The Plastic Bag Pandemic | Northridge |
| 2 | $900 | Emiloy Richards | Bright Lights, Not So Bright Future | Greeley Central |
| 3 | $800 | Kyle Richards & Carlie Huneycutt | Benefits of Bats to our Watershed | Berthoud |
| 4 | $700 | Katrina San Nicholas | Energizing Sustainable Solutions | Northridge |
| 5 | $600 | Amanda Duvall | Garden of Knowledge | Union Colony Prep |
| 6 | $500 | Marlee Snyder, Rachel Weaver & Sydney Rapp | For the Greener Good | Northridge |
| 7 | $450 | Ryan Redfern, Colton Measner & Teddy Reim | Fishing Line: The Invisible Killer | Union Colony Prep |
| 8 | $400 | Sarah Dugan, Jeremy Segelike & Bailey Smith | Showertimers: First Step To Resourceful water Usage | Northridge |
| 9 | $350 | Cassidy Francies, Jay Frye & Jared Hinrichs | Caring Abot Our Watershed Education Program | Northridge |
| 10 | $300 | Nancy Caudillo | Reducing Waste with TerraCycle | Northridge |
2013 Final Results
The final presentations were at the University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, CO on February 22, 2013.
Hannah Meyers
| THALWEG AWARDS* | ||
| Air to Save the Day | Francisco Alvarado Vega Ricardo Vazquez & Rachel Myers |
Liz Mock-Murphy Greeley Central |
| Importance Of Buying And Growing Produce Locally | Meagan VanBriggle Cindy Stilo & Erin Carney |
Heidi Lanning & Brittney Wright Eaton |
| Sanitizer Solution | Nathan Ruebesam Austin Bending |
Kristal Domenico Berthoud |
| Shower Heads Saving the Watershed | David Pascal | Zach Armstrong Greeley West |
* Thalweg – the line of deepest and fastest flow, marking the natural direction of a river.
The 4 student Thalweg Award proposals were judged as some of the best proposals that did not make it into the final 10 projects for oral competition. These students will create a poster of their proposal to be displayed at the banquet. In addition, they will receive funds to implement their projects.