PennDOT, Keep PA Beautiful Invite High School Students To Apply To Join Young Ambassadors Education Program

On April 1, the Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful are inviting environmentally-conscious 10th through 12th grade students to help preserve Pennsylvania’s natural resources through the Young Ambassadors of Pennsylvania program.

The deadline to apply is June 1

The program empowers young Pennsylvanians to train and learn from leaders across the private sector, state government, local media, and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful to protect Pennsylvania’s environment and build leadership and problem-solving skills.

Applicants should be passionate about the environment and committed to restoring and protecting Pennsylvania’s ecological landscape through volunteerism and leadership.

“Pennsylvania’s ecological beauty and sustainability come from hard work on the ground level,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “Through litter clean-up and prevention, stream restoration, and empowering their friends and neighbors, the next generation of environmental leaders are setting the standard for the rest of us.”

“We are honored to offer the Young Ambassadors Program in partnership with PennDOT for a fifth year. Each student brings unique experiences and tremendous passion for creating meaningful change in their communities and across the Commonwealth, and we look forward to welcoming a new group of inspiring young leaders,” said Shannon Reiter, President of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful. “Our goal is to spark a sense of community ownership while highlighting the importance of working with local residents, businesses, and organizations to identify issues and build solutions together. We are grateful for our continued partnership with PennDOT, which allows us to expand opportunities for students and help them develop the essential skills needed for long term success.”

Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful will provide education and training to program participants on topics related to the impact of litter on roadways, litter prevention, waste management and recycling, civic engagement and public policy, volunteer management, and social media marketing. 

In addition, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful has partnered with industry leaders, Columbia Gas - NiSource Charitable Foundation and Dow to provide Job Shadow Days to select Ambassadors.

Ambassadors will serve a one-year term from September 2026 through May 2027 and represent and uphold the mission and values of Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful.

Program requirements include:

-- Attending 6 mandatory virtual education sessions;

-- Conducting a community assessment and creating a summary presentation;

-- Organizing a community cleanup event through Pick Up Pennsylvania and conducting one community education event or activity.

Students will be chosen through a competitive application process. Students interested in applying should visit KPB’s Young Ambassadors of Pennsylvania webpage or contact Kylie McCutcheon at 724-836-4121 x114 or kmccutcheon@keeppabeautiful.org. 

Click Here for the PennDOT announcement.

Visit PennDOT’s Roadside Beautification Resources webpage to learn more about how to get involved in anti-litter and beautification activities.

For more information on programs, initiatives and special events, visit the Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful website.  Click Here to sign up for regular updates from KPB, Like them on Facebook, Follow on Twitter, visit their YouTube Channel.

The 2026 Pick Up Pennsylvania Initiative now undeerway!  Questions should be directed to Michelle Dunn at 1-877-772-3673 Ext. 113 or send email to: mdunn@keeppabeautiful.org.

Keep PA Beautiful helps mobilize over 100,000 volunteers a year to pick up litter, clean up illegal dumping and beautify Pennsylvania.

[Posted: April 2, 2026]  PA Environment Digest