Cheyanna Washburn is an Inspirational Environmental Hero

This week's hero is on her way to becoming an inspirational leader to young people who want a better understanding of the environment and how they can coexist with it and protect it for the future. Cheyanna Washburn is a student and fan of John Muir - the legendary naturalist, author and defender of the wilderness. He is mostly known for his work to have places like Yosemite and the great Sequoia forests preserved as national parks, as well as being the founder of the Sierra Club. Cheyanna exhibits her passion for the environment in her locale, currently as a student of botany and recreational therapy. She has also participated in numerous clean up and restoration projects and has even taught kids about the importance of recycling and what they can do to help protect the waterways in their area. She gained distinction as an intern with the California Phenology Project, where she monitored plants for signs of climate change and where she was quickly promoted to help train new students as well as develop programs to engage young people in the preservation of the environment. One of her dreams is to work for the National Park Service and she is already on her way to achieving her goal. She was recently recognized as a 2014 Local Hero Award Winner for Youth Engagement for her work to inspire others to be advocates and protectors of the environment. Do you know someone who has taken their passion and turned it into a mission to make the world a better place? Nominate them for next week's AmericanTown'es Heroes.