4th Annual Rachel Carson Intergenerational Sense of Wonder Contest
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is pleased to announce the 4th annual Rachel Carson intergenerational "Sense of Wonder" contest. Entries for the contest should be developed by persons from younger and older generations. Teams can create poetry, take photographs, write essays, and/or dance. These creations should celebrate the legacy and love of nature that Rachel Carson so eloquently embodied. The contest is sponsored by the U.S. EPA, the Dance Exchange, the Rachel Carson Council, Inc., and Generations United.

Teams can select the medium for their work as it captures their interactions with and reflections on the wonders of nature.  Mixed media entries are welcome as well, such as a photo accompanied with a poem or an essay. Video entries can be of persons dancing or capture movements and visible changes in nature from dawn to dusk. A panel of expert judges will select finalists. The winners in each category of photography, essay, poetry, and dance will then be determined by the public, who will have an opportunity to cast votes online for their favorite submissions.

Carson wrote that she would endow every child with "a sense of wonder so indestructible that it would last throughout life." However, "if a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in."  The contest seeks to spur and instill that same sense of wonder among all generations. Should you need some inspiration from Rachel Carson, check out this Web page about her and her works that captured nature so eloquently.
http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/thesenseofwonder/about.htm

Entries were due June 16, 2010. For more information about the contest
please see http://www.epa.gov/aging/resources/thesenseofwonder/index.htm


Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging Recognition and Award Program
This award recognizes communities for their outstanding comprehensive approaches to implementing principles of smart growth, as well as strategies that support active aging. It is presented to communities with the best and most inclusive overall approach to implementing smart
growth and active aging on a variety of fronts, at the neighborhood, tribe, city, county, and/or regional level.

For more information on the past winning communities see
http://www.epa.gov/aging/bhc/index.htm

While this recognition program does not provide a financial award, the winners are the people living in these communities and this award recognizes the leadership of these communities in making their
communities a great place to live.  If you would like to submit an application to be considered for this recognition please see:
http://www.epa.gov/aging/bhc/awards

Applications for 4th annual Building Healthy Communities for Active Aging the 2010 are due July 17, 2010.