Celebrating Youth Voices: Winners of the 2026 Environmental Photo Contest

This year, Tri-Valley CAREs had the privilege of hosting our first ever Youth Environmental Photo Contest! We invited young people ages 10-25 to share how they see and experience the environment and environmental justice issues in their communities.

Our team of judges were truly blown away by the submissions. Each photograph offered a unique perspective: some captured the beauty of the natural world, others highlighted pollution, climate impacts, or inequities that often go unseen. Together, they tell a powerful story about how young people are thinking about the environment today.

After careful review by our judges, we are excited to announce the winners of this year’s contest:

🏆 First Place ($750): Jacob Dartez – Deep Blue

🥈 Runner-Up ($250): Willow Yundt – Life Behind the Gates

🌟 Community Award for Tracy & West San Joaquin County ($500): Ellie Creighton – Inconvenient Placement

We also want to recognize all of our participants. It takes creativity, thoughtfulness, and courage to share your perspective, and every submission contributed meaningfully to this project. All participants will receive a certificate in recognition of their work and an 11×14  print of their work on canvas.

Join Us for the Exhibit & Award Ceremony!

To celebrate these incredible young artists (and Earth Day), we invite you to join us for a community exhibition and award ceremony:

Venue: Tracy Library, Wadsworth Room, 20 E. Eaton Ave, Tracy

Date: April 21, 2026

Time: 5:30 – 6:30 PM

During the event, all submitted photographs will be on display, and we will celebrate the winners and present awards and certificates. We’ll also have food and time to connect with others in the community.

If you’re not able to attend that evening, the exhibit will remain on display at the Tracy Library Display case throughout the month of April.

This exhibit is part of our broader work in Tracy and West San Joaquin County to support community awareness and engagement around environmental issues. We hope you’ll join us in celebrating this work.

This project was partially funded by CalEPA.

Beauty Beneath the Surface- Makaela Gabriel

When I was a child, my mom used to take my sister and me to Big Trees Park in Livermore. To us, it was more than a park —it was where our childhood lived. We spent long, sunlit afternoons running barefoot through the grass, laughing without a care in the world.

I remember the smell of freshly cut grass and the way sunlight filtered through the tall trees, creating golden patterns on the ground. My sister and I would race to the swings, taking turns pushing each other higher and higher, as if we could touch the sky. The creak of the swings mixed with our laughter and the sounds of birds overhead. It felt safe. It felt pure.

Now, at 16, I see this place differently.

I’ve learned that Big Trees Park has a hidden history —one not visible in its beauty. In the 1990s, the park was found to have plutonium-239 contamination, likely from sewage sludge originating from or near Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and the Livermore Water Reclamation Plant. Some levels were reported to be far higher than normal. Although agencies later stated it did not pose an “unacceptable” health risk, the idea that something so dangerous could exist where children play is deeply unsettling.

The park still looks the same. Trees glow in the sunlight. Children still laugh.

But now I understand that protecting the environment isn’t just about preserving beauty —it’s about ensuring the places we trust are truly safe, even when danger is invisible.

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