2026 John Broesamle Local Hero Award
The second annual John Broesamle "Local Hero Award” will recognize a high school student for impactful environmental work in the Ventura River or Santa Clara River watersheds. The ideal applicant embodies Broesamle’s values—conservation, community, integrity, honesty, and perseverance—in creating and executing a project that addresses an environmental challenge(s) in or around their local community. Students are required to conceive of, execute, and document the solution they implement in their watershed. Projects will be evaluated on their significance, lasting impact, and whether they have the potential to be replicated elsewhere. Applicants may seek the award for work already completed (during grades 9-12), work in progress, a planned project, or continuation of a previous Local Hero project. A mentor is available and encouraged for any student to help conceptualize and advise on their project. Seed funding for project execution is available on a request and approval basis. The Local Hero Award—sponsored by the Turtle Conservancy—will be announced at an awards gala at the El Roblar Hotel in May 2026. Five finalists will each present their project, be awarded a plaque, and an article will be published in each finalist's local newspaper. The winning project will also receive a $5,000 unrestricted cash prize and a bronze Southwestern Pond Turtle. Deadline to apply is October 17, 2025.
Student's Full Name
*
First Name
Last Name
Student Phone Number
*
-
Area Code
Phone Number
Student E-mail
*
Parent or Guardian Phone Number
*
-
Area Code
Phone Number
Parent or Guardian email
*
example@example.com
Have you applied for the Local Hero Award before?
Yes
No
If yes, are you reapplying with a new project or continuing an ongoing project?
New project
Continuing an ongoing project
Which high school do you attend and which grade are you in?
ex: 10th grade at Santa Paula High School
Watch "Like a Cannon" GOODE Films (click on the widget below):
Yes, I watched the film
Which watershed do you live in?
Ventura River Watershed
Santa Clara River Watershed
Which community and sub-watershed do you live in?
ex: I live in Upper Ojai within the Lion Canyon Creek watershed (a sub-watershed of the Ventura River)
In which watershed(s) and or sub-watersheds will your work occur?
In the San Antonio Creek watershed within the Ventura River Watershed
Having learned about John Broesamle as part of this application, what environmental values, challenges, or goals resonate with you personally, and why?
100-250 words
Describe your project. Your description should include the impact your project has on your watershed and the environmental challenge your project addresses.
500-1000 words
REFERENCES:
Please list one person who would recommend you who we can reach out to for a letter of support (this can be a school counselor, teacher, employer, or mentor):
Full Name
Relationship
ex: my environmental science teacher
Email Address:
ex: my environmental science teacher
Phone Number
ex: my environmental science teacher
SUBMIT
Should be Empty: