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U.S. EPA honors Riverside student Otana Jakpor, President’s Environmental Youth Award winner for environmental achievements: School project helps improve air quality regulations

Release Date: 05/27/2008
Contact Information: Francisco Arcaute (213) 244-1815, cell (213) 798-1404 arcaute.francisco@epa.gov

LOS ANGELES – Today at a local ceremony, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency honored Riverside, Calif. student Otana Jakpor, with a 2007 President’s Environmental Youth Award in recognition for promoting environmental awareness.

A student at the Woodcrest Christian School, 18401 Van Buren Blvd., Jakpor created “Indoor Air Pollution: The Pulmonary Effects of Ozone-Generating Air Purifiers,” a science project that focused on indoor air quality. Her scientific experiments and results ultimately helped influence the California Air Resources Board to adopt a regulation to limit ozone emissions from air purifiers; California is the first state in the nation to regulate ozone generators.

“Otana Jakpor’s scholastic achievements inspire us to do our share to help clean the air and the environment,” said Wayne Nastri, Regional Administrator for the EPA’s Pacific Southwest region. “This year’s President’s Environmental Youth Award winners have made protecting our planet an everyday commitment, and proven that together we can create a cleaner, healthier world.”

Winners were selected from applications submitted to EPA’s 10 regional offices, and were evaluated on environmental need, accomplishments of goals, long-term environmental benefits and positive impact on local communities.

Jakpor was honored last month by President and Mrs. George W. Bush and EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson during a Rose Garden ceremony at the White House.

Since 1971, the EPA has sponsored the President’s Environmental Youth Awards to honor students in kindergarten through twelfth grade who develop innovative environmental projects.

Winners and project descriptions: https://www.epa.gov/enviroed/peya/peya2007.html