Senior Eden Vitoff can be found in front of students leading the EHS environmental club from a lesser known group into a growing green team or with his face painted green campaigning for a greener Earth. The growing environmental voice found out last Thursday that his efforts are paying off in ways he couldn’t even imagine.

After winning a national contest available to both middle school and high school students, Vitoff has been chosen as a keynote speaker at the Green Schools Conference and Expo (GSCE) from March 31 to April 1 in Pittsburg, Pa.

“I have been intensely involved in environmental work and eco-activism, so this contest seemed like the perfect opportunity for me to express my passion for nature,” Vitoff said.

After submitting an essay outlining the work he has done to make his community greener and the necessity of green schools, Vitoff was contacted by the competition sponsor The Nature’s Voices Project for an interview. Thursday he was informed he was the grand prize winner receiving the speaking position at the conference.

“I was so overjoyed, my heart was pounding,” Vitoff said. “I immediately jumped out of my chair to go share the news with my family.”

Vitoff is a cofounder of the Green Lyfe Network an organization that aims to educate and connect different environmental clubs and groups with each other and other environmental leaders.

“We are a growing nonprofit organization and have just kicked off out first statewide campaign,” Vitoff said. “ We are educating and empowering you people to speak up on the issues of climate change and demand that our voices be heard.”

Vitoff will be a catalyst in making sure the voices of the Green Lyfe Network are heard as he plans to talk about the network at the GSCE.

The event also includes a Student Summit portion where all the students in attendance will get to connect and share ideas where Vitoff not only plans on sharing the Green Lyfe Network but also taking on a few new projects.

“[Having] access to such a diverse group of young people from all over the country will be amazing,” Vitoff said. “I can’t wait to potentially get some of them involved in the Lyfe initiatives that are going on as well as get involved myself in some of their projects.”