Our heroes
Congratulations to Eric Grace, Isaac Nelson and The Plastic Ocean Project
We’re excited to share our top three environmental enthusiasts, each earning $30,000 from the James M. Cox Foundation to continue growing the good in their communities. Congratulations to Eric Grace, Isaac Nelson and The Plastic Ocean Project.
STATE: Pennsylvania and Maryland
Area of impact: water
Eric Grace
Eric Grace (right) received the Groundbreaker award in the adult category. As the founder of the Creek Cleanup Project, Eric has spent the past eight years organizing volunteers to remove over 500,000 pounds of litter and 20,000 tires from Conococheague Creek along 93 miles in Pennsylvania and Maryland. Through this grassroots initiative, he is helping restore waterways and build environmental pride — one cleanup at a time.
STATE: florida
Area of impact: Water
Isaac Nelson
Isaac Nelson (left) is this year’s Planet Protector and winner of the youth category. Isaac is a middle school student from Florida who started Eco Scouts to encourage his classmates to protect local coastal environments. Through Eco Scouts, Isaac organizes activities that include restoring coral reefs and mangroves, testing water quality and cleaning up local beaches. He also distributes oyster mats made without plastic and helps educate other students by creating films, podcasts and hands-on projects focused on caring for coastal ecosystems.
STATE: North Carolina
Area of impact: Conservation
The Plastic Ocean Project
The Plastic Ocean Project received the Jim Kennedy Conservation Award, named in honor of Cox Enterprises Chairman Emeritus and James M. Cox Foundation Chairman Jim Kennedy, an environmentalist who started Cox Conserves in 2007. The organization, based in Wilmington, North Carolina, is a youth-led nonprofit committed to finding science-based solutions to the global plastic pollution crisis.
