Justin Sather’s love of frogs has won him the title “hero.”
In September, Justin, who is 9 and attends Westside Neighborhood School in L. A., was one of 10 students named as honorees by the 2020 Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes.
Each year, the Barron Prize gives 25 awards and names 10 honorees among inspiring, service-spirited young people from across the U.S. and Canada who have made a significant positive difference in the lives of people and for the environment. This year is the 20th anniversary of the Barron Prize.
Justin’s campaign to save frogs includes efforts to reduce plastic pollution and protect the world’s waters. When he was in kindergarten, he founded For the Love of Frogs, and has raised more than $20,000 for his cause. He has used the funds to support frog conservation programs, purchase reusable snack bags for his classmates and provide eco-friendly toothbrushes to hundreds of people.
Justin has also used donations to buy recycling equipment to turn plastic trash into treasures in his garage. His latest initiative, The Parallel Projects, helps children and adults in developing countries upcycle plastic water bottles. Working “in parallel” with people in places such as Kenya and Cameroon, he has supported the upcycling of 5,000 plastic bottles so far, helping turn them into flower planters, chairs and even irrigation systems.
Justin recently received a grant from Jane Goodall’s Roots & Shoots program to create a children’s eco-newspaper that will help raise awareness of plastic pollution across the globe. “I’ve learned that one idea can change the world,” he says. “It started out with just me wanting to help the frogs. Now people from all around the world want to clean up the planet with me.”
To learn more about the Barron Prize, visit www.barronprize.org.
