(Washington, D.C.) Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers met with Gonzaga University students Monday who demonstrated how they are not only helping the people who need it most, but helping the planet, too.

A team of Gonzaga University students is in Washington, D.C. this week competing for the Environmental Protection Agency’s P3 Award. P3 stands for “people, prosperity and the planet,” and is a student design competition for sustainability.

The Gonzaga University team submitted a project called “West African Technology, Education and Reciprocity (WATER) for Benin.” The WATER team trained people living in the sub-Saharan African country of Benin to filter their drinking water using water filters that are easy to use, economical and locally manufactured with environmentally sustainable materials.

“One of the highlights of serving in Congress is meeting ordinary people doing extraordinary things. This team of Gonzaga students is a perfect example of that,” McMorris Rodgers said. “The knowledge and service these students are giving to the citizens of Benin will positively affect generations to come and doing it in an environmentally friendly way.”

In addition to visiting their exhibit on the National Mall today, McMorris Rodgers will formally recognize the team’s efforts in the Congressional Record when the House returns to session later this week.