St. Clair Region Conservation Authority awards scholarships

Scholarships were awarded to three graduating high school students by the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority.

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The scholarship program rewards high school graduates pursuing post-secondary studies in conservation-related fields. The awards are given to students demonstrating “high academic standing and involvement in environmental initiatives,” the authority said in a news release.

Trust funds established by the St. Clair Region Conservation Foundation and its donors make the scholarships possible. A total of $2,000 was awarded this year.

“We are happy to provide support to these students as they pursue their post-secondary studies in the environmental field,” said authority executive director Ken Phillips.

“Their academic achievements and contributions to the community are impressive and I’m confident they will play an important role in tackling current and future environmental issues both locally and beyond,” he said.

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Gracie Hobbs, a student at Lambton Central Collegiate and Vocational School in Petrolia set to begin studying science at the University of New Brunswick, was awarded the Tony Stranak Conservation Scholarship.

The $500 scholarship is in memory of Stranak, a former mayor of Dresden and past authority board member. The scholarship was established through donations from community organizations and municipalities in recognition of its community service.

Makenna Zavitz from Northern Collegiate Institute and Vocational School in Sarnia received the $500 Mary Jo Arnold Conservation Scholarship. She will be studying zoology at the University of Guelph.

Arnold was a summer employee of the conservation authority who died in 2009 as the result of a car accident. The scholarship, awarded annually to the female high school graduate, was established with donations from family and friends

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Lily Demaiter from Lambton-Kent Composite School in Dresden received the AW Campbell Memorial Scholarship. She will be attending the University of Guelph – Ridgetown Campus this fall pursuing a degree in agriculture.

Campbell, a farmer and ardent conservationist, was born in 1888 and through his will, the family farm was purchased by the authority and is now the AW Campbell Conservation Area near Alvinston.

The $1,000 scholarship was created with contributions to a trust fund by two private donors.

Information about the annual conservation authority scholarships can be found online at www.scrca.on.ca/foundation/scholarships.

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@ObserverPaulM

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