NEWARK—The 5th annual Delaware Youth Environmental Summit (YES!) will be held Feb. 29 at the Clayton Hall Conference Center at the University of Delaware.

The event is free for Delaware high school students and educator/advisors to school teams and includes breakfast and lunch.

Early registration is open through Feb. 9 at DelawareYES.org. Early registrants are entered to win $100 gift card drawings.  Students must be registered by their team teacher/advisor as a team.  School teams during early registration are limited 20 students per team.

Registration closes on Feb. 23 or when maximum capacity is reached, whichever comes first. Attendance is limited.

Guest speakers and topics include:

• Kristy Drutman, Browngirl Green and EPA Youth Advisory Council
• Rep. Sophie Phillips, D-Bear
• DNREC Secretary Shawn Garvin
• Dr. David Donohue
• Workshop topics: Pathways to Green Schools, renewable energy, campus food waste reduction, the perils of plastic pollution, corporate sustainability, environmental justice, sea level rise and climate resiliency, environmental advocacy, green college tracks, fast fashion, coastal erosion, botanic gardens and trees, Green STEM careers and PFAS pollution.

Planned by students, YES! inspires youth-led action and environmental leadership through keynote speakers, breakout workshops, and nonprofit and agency exhibitors.

YES! was created by a coalition of representatives from educators at Delaware schools, non-profit environmental organizations, and public agencies to provide the opportunity for teens to meet, learn, and share their ideas on environmental issues of concern and to make a difference by engaging Delaware's youth in fostering sustainability at their schools, involvement in environmental issues, and advocacy initiatives.