Colin McGinley, an 11th grade student at Pottsville Area High School, has been selected as one of 28 students statewide to serve as a 2025-2026 Young Ambassador of Pennsylvania.
The program, announced by PennDOT and Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful, is now in its fourth year and is designed to cultivate the passion and leadership of young community stewards. From September through May 2026, ambassadors will gain hands-on experience and civic leadership skills as they work to promote clean and beautiful communities across the state.
“Restoring and preventing environmental damage means making sure our future leaders have the ecological know-how to make sustainable change happen,” said PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll. “Youth across the state are more engaged in this fight than ever before. With the fourth year of the Young Ambassadors program underway, Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful and PennDOT are helping plant the seeds for a cleaner future.”
Keep Pennsylvania Beautiful President Shannon Reiter added: “Each year, these amazing young leaders bring fresh ideas and real energy to our communities. We continue to be inspired by the passion, creativity, and leadership they demonstrate. We’re proud to support this next generation of changemakers.”
Ambassadors will receive training on topics like litter prevention, waste management, recycling, civic engagement, and volunteer management. The program also includes opportunities for job shadowing with sustainability professionals and a stipend to offset time and travel costs. Two $1,000 scholarships will be awarded — one to a current senior and one to a program alum.
The Young Ambassador program was recommended in the commonwealth’s Litter Action Plan, which found Pennsylvania has more than 500 million pieces of litter on its roadways. The action plan includes strategies for all Pennsylvanians to fight litter in their communities.
Information from a press release
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