Corte Madera Activist, 17, Wins $10K For Sustainability Efforts

CORTE MADERA, CA — A 17-year-old Corte Madera activist will receive a $10,000 grant after she placed in a statewide awards program.

Sarah Goody won one of two "Champion Awards" in the first California Youth Sustainability Awards, a program that aims to encourage and support the state's climate activists.

Goody founded ClimateNOW, which her website describes as "a youth-led organization dedicated to educating youth about the climate crisis and providing them with the skills to take community-based action."

She's also chair of the Corte Madera Climate Action Committee, a youth activism mentor, a nonprofit organization volunteer, an author and a corporate sustainability advisor, according to the Sustainability Awards' website.

Goody shares the Champion Award with Marcus Lee, 17, of San Jose. The top prize, called the "Hero Award," went to 15-year-old Kyle Tianshi of San Diego.

In their applications, candidates shared a problem their community is facing and the solution they developed and worked on. They also wrote essays on what community means to them and how they would use the award to further their local sustainability efforts.

The awards program will be held annually, and it was created by CG Roxane LLC, the maker of Crystal Geyser Alpine Spring Water, according to a news release.

"This is an exciting opportunity for CG Roxane to celebrate the young leaders who have invested in their communities and our planet, by acknowledging and rewarding them," said Charles Calvat, CG Roxane's director of corporate social responsibility. "The future is founded in our youth and we are excited to foster their sustainability and community efforts, which align with our commitments as a company."