Three Michigan youths honored as Outstanding Outdoor Kids

DNR Director Rodney Stokes (back row, second from left) looks on as
(front row, left to right) Lexi Loehfelm of Ada, Noah Ekdom of Roscommon
and Jimmy McGrath of Monroe receive certificates of recognition from
Natural Resources Commission Chair Tim Nichols. (DNR photo)

Three Michigan young people were introduced to the Natural Resources Commission as Outstanding Outdoor Kids at the regular monthly NRC meeting Thursday, June 14, in Lansing.

Lexi Loehfelm, 11, Noah Ekdom, 12, and Jimmy McGrath, 15, were named in January as winners in the Outstanding Outdoor Kids program, which recognizes the efforts of youth who have gone above and beyond to protect, preserve and promote green space in Michigan.

Lexi is a member of Goodwillie Environmental School in Ada, where she leads other students on environmental adventures. Noah, from Roscommon, is a second class Boy Scout who has been involved in a trail clean-up, Adopt-a-Highway and creating a new trail on the Marguerite Gahagan Nature Preserve. Jimmy, from Monroe, started an organization to clean up and restore Sterling State Park.

The trio served as judges in the Feb. 7 contest which named Pure Michigan Caramel Apple as the official ice cream flavor of Michigan state parks. Samples of the ice cream were served at the Natural Resources Commission meeting.