Keep Ridgeland Beautiful leaders with Keep America Beautiful President and CEO Jennifer Jehn.

Mississippians were recognized this week for their efforts in cleaning, greening and beautification. Keep America Beautiful honored Keep Mississippi Beautiful and its network of affiliates with a number of awards, including:

Keep Ridgeland Beautiful: This affiliate won the William Nash Award, which honors a young Keep America Beautiful affiliate. Organized in 2014, KRB quickly got to work, holding litter cleanups, revitalizing parks, launching a cigarette litter campaign and educating youngsters in schools.

Sarah Kountouris: Keep Mississippi Beautiful’s executive director was selected for the Sue Smith Professional Leadership Award. This prestigious award honors network leaders who have built and sustained programs for cleaning, greening and beautification. The award is named in honor of Sue Smith, Keep America Beautiful’s long-time director of education.

Keep Mississippi Beautiful Executive Director Sarah Kountouris with former Executive Director Barbara Dorr.

Old Town Middle School: The Ridgeland school’s Technology Student Association planned, designed and built a pergola for Midway Park, which won them a Youth Project Award. The pergola was installed during Keep Mississippi Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup State Kickoff last spring.

Department of Transportation Partnership Award: Keep Mississippi Beautiful and the Mississippi Department of Transportation were recognized for their continued collaboration to reduce litter, promote recycling and beautify places in the state.

Diamond Level Status: Keep Mississippi Beautiful earned the highest designation given to Keep America Beautiful state affiliates.

President’s Circle Award: Keep Mississippi Beautiful and 23 local affiliates received the President’s Circle Award for their hard work in the Keep America Beautiful network. Local affiliates include Keep Bay Saint Louis Beautiful, Keep Cleveland Beautiful, Keep Clinton Beautiful, Keep Our Coast Beautiful, Keep Columbia/Marion County Beautiful, Keep Copiah County Beautiful, Keep Corinth-Alcorn Beautiful, Keep Desoto County Beautiful, Keep Diamondhead Beautiful, Keep Jackson Beautiful, Keep Kosciusko Beautiful, Keep Madison the city Beautiful, Keep Mississippi Beautiful, Keep Morton Beautiful, Keep, Natchez/Adams County Beautiful, Keep New Albany/Union County Beautiful, Keep Oxford/Lafayatte County Beautiful, Keep Pearl Beautiful, Keep Pike County Beautiful, Keep Ridgeland Beautiful, Keep Simpson County Beautiful, Keep the Rez Beautiful, Keep Tupelo Beautiful and Keep Vicksburg Beautiful.