The John Broesamle "Local Hero Award” recognizes a high school student for impactful environmental work in the Ventura River or Santa Clara River watersheds. The ideal applicant embodies Broesamle’s values—conservation, community, integrity, honesty, and perseverance—in creating and executing a project that addresses an environmental challenge(s) in or around their local community.

Students are required to conceive of, execute, and document the solution they implement in their watershed. Projects will be evaluated on their significance, lasting impact, and whether they have the potential to be replicated elsewhere. Applicants may seek the award for work already completed (during grades 9-12), work in progress, a planned project, or continuation of a previous Local Hero project.

A mentor is available and encouraged for any student to help conceptualize and advise on their project. Seed funding for project execution is available on a request and approval basis. The Local Hero Award—sponsored by the Turtle Conservancy—will be announced at an awards gala at the El Roblar Hotel in May. Five finalists will each present their project, be awarded a plaque, and an article will be published in each finalist's local newspaper. The winning project will also receive a $5,000 unrestricted cash prize and a bronze Southwestern Pond Turtle.

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