Top Environmental Award Goes To Academies Of Loudoun Student

LEESBURG, VA — Leesburg resident Tycho Svoboda, a junior at the Academies of Loudoun, received a top environmental award Tuesday for his work with the Virginia Save Our Streams program. At a Leesburg Town Council meeting, Jennifer Chu, chair of the town’s Environmental Advisory Commission, presented Svoboda with the 2019 John W. Tolbert Jr. Environmental Achievement Award.

Svoboda has worked for Virginia Save Our Streams as a certified stream manager, collecting samples at several streams in Leesburg, including Tuscarora and Goose creeks. He also conducts regular training for other volunteers.

In 2019, as part of a high school project, Svoboda developed a mobile app to automatically analyze the water quality data. It also helped to streamline data collection and data entry into the statewide database making stream monitoring easier and more accurate. As a result, Svoboda won the 2019 Congressional App Challenge representing the state of Virginia.

"He has donated countless hours and technological expertise to enhance and improve the stream monitoring program," Chu said in a statement.

The Tolbert award recognizes students, community groups, and individuals that conduct or participate in activities that benefit the town’s environment.