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"Bee-ing" Herself Leads Cornwall Student To National Award

CORNWALL-ON-HUDSON, N.Y. --  Eighteen-year-old Elizabeth Klosky has been named a national winner of the 2017 Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes. 

Cornwall resident Elizabeth Klosky.

Cornwall resident Elizabeth Klosky.

Photo Credit: Submitted

Each year, the Barron Prize celebrates 25 inspiring, public-spirited young people from across North America who have made a significant positive difference to people and the environment. Up to 20 top winners each receive a $5,000 cash award to support their service work or higher education.

The Cornwall resident founded NY is a Great Place to Bee! to educate the public about bees and their plight. She has also worked to pass bee-supportive legislation and help ensure healthy bee populations. 

With her team of a dozen "Worker Bee" volunteers, she has taught over 14,000 people about the importance of bees and easy ways to protect them. 

Through grassroots advocacy – including a Change.org petition, phone calls, and meetings – she has changed legislators’ minds about bees, resulting in bee-friendly legislation and state funding to support bees. 

She as also installed a dozen native bee houses at nature preserves and has taught hundreds of people to build their own.

Klosky's bee passion grew out of her homeschool years spent largely outside. When she began keeping bees on her family’s micro farm several years ago, she learned how threatened they are and decided to help them as a way to earn her Girl Scout Gold Award. 

Grants from The Pollination Project and Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots have helped fund her work. Her most memorable outreach event took place at Bethel Woods where the drummer for the Barenaked Ladies borrowed her bee costume to wear as he performed on stage.

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