With National Air Quality Awareness Week and the start of ozone season approaching, Clean Air Partners, a regional air quality organization chartered by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments and the Baltimore Metropolitan Council, announced today the winners of its first annual Air Quality Infographics Challenge and upcoming events across the region to educate the public about air quality in conjunction with the organization's Annual Celebration event on Thursday, May 2, 2013.

"Last year was one of the hottest summers on record, with 20 days reaching Code Orange and above levels in the Baltimore region and 19 days in the greater Metropolitan Washington area," said Jennifer Desimone, Clean Air Partners' spokeswoman. "As we get ready for ozone season, these educational opportunities and events will reinforce air quality messages and tips to help the public reduce their impacts on regional air quality and protect their health."

Area residents can sign up for Air Quality Alerts at www.cleanairpartners.net

Events taking place across the region in conjunction with National Air Quality Awareness Week begins Monday, April 29, 2013 include:

Clean Air Partners Inaugural Twitter Party

On Mon., April 29, Clean Air Partners will host its first Twitter Party with air quality experts from across the region who will answer participants' questions about the impact of air pollution on public health and our environment and what steps should residents take to ensure the air we breathe remains a vital public health protection for generations to come. Using the hashtag: #AirMatters, participants can expect answers to their most common air quality questions. Select participants will receive prize giveaways. Check out the discussion at @CleanAirPartner on Mon., April 29 from 12pm - 1pm.

Clean Air Partners Air Quality Infographics Challenge Winner Announcement

Clean Air Partners asked high school teams across the region to develop their most creative and comprehensive infographic - illustrating the impacts poor air quality has on human health and the environment. The Clean Air Partners judge's panel asked the public to vote through Clean Air Partners' Facebook page - and the votes are in! Thanks to JBS International, first place with a $1,500 cash prize goes to Richard Wright Public Charter School in Washington, D.C. Their winning Infographic is featured on the Clean Air Partners Facebook page with team members. The winning Infographic can be found at www.facebook.com/cleanairpartners.

Clean Air Partners Fifth Annual Poster Contest Winners' Announcement

As part of Clean Air Partners On the Air education curriculum, Clean Air Partners has announced the winners of the fifth Annual Poster Contest. Using this year's winning slogan "It's the air we breathe, keep it clean," as the 2013 contest theme, Clean Air Partners asked fourth- through eighth-grade students to create posters illustrating ways people can improve the region's air quality with everyday actions to reduce emissions and air pollution. With more than 400 submissions, Clean Air Partners is excited to announce Category 1 (fourth- through sixth-grade) first place winning sixth-grade student, Kobe Borda of Argyle Magnet Middle School in Montgomery County, MD and Category 2 first place winning eight-grade student, Maiah Khin of Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax County, VA. Poster images and additional winners and honorable mentions are available at: http://www.cleanairpartners.net/mediacenter.cfm. Interviews are available.

Potomac River Run Marathon

Celebrating Air Quality Awareness Week and World Laughter Day, join Clean Air Partners as our members participate in Washington, D.C.'s 10th annual Potomac River Run Marathon. The run will take place on Sun., May 5 beginning at 8am on the historical C&O Canal Towpath. With more than 250 runners and supporting friends and family, Clean Air Partners will support the Potomac River Run Marathon's continued dedication to raising awareness around the importance of air quality by handing out literature and water to attendees! Location: Fletcher's Cove, 4940 Canal Road NW, Washington, D.C., 20007.

Clean Air Partners Annual Celebration

On Thurs., May 2 from 6pm - 9pm, Clean Air Partners will host their Annual Celebration where program sponsors, partners, regional air quality and public health officials will gather to recognize the winners of our annual poster, slogan, and infographics contests and science fairs. Location: Koshland Science Museum, 525 E Street NW, Washington, D.C., 20001.

For media inquiries or additional information, please contact Jennifer Desimone at Clean Air Partners, 202-962-3360.

About Clean Air Partners

Clean Air Partners is a public-private partnership in the Washington-Baltimore metropolitan region established to provide air quality public education. For more than a decade, Clean Air Partners has strived to improve public health and the environment by working with businesses, organizations and individuals throughout the region to encourage voluntary actions to improve air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change. More than 5,000 regional employers, individuals and businesses are registered as participants and have committed to improve air quality and receive AirAlerts from Clean Air Partners, a free service that delivers the air quality forecast via email. For more information about Clean Air Partners, visit www.cleanairpartners.net, follow us on Twitter and Facebook, or download the new Clean Air Partners' mobile app.