Environmental Education: Scholarships and Awards

This is part two of a series of blogs on environmental education.

Every student has probably heard at least one of their teachers tell them that it would be up to our generation to solve the problems created by theirs.

That sounds daunting. But if you love the environment, what can you do while you’re still young?

In the first part of our environmental education blog series, I talked about how volunteering for an environmental program is a great way to get involved. In this part, we’ll be exploring some ways you can get recognized for starting projects of your own.

There are tons of scholarships, awards, and competitions available for students who are interested in studying the environment or who have taken the initiative to start their own environmental project. For high school seniors and college students, there are even more scholarships available that are specifically dedicated to individuals pursuing environmentally-oriented careers.

Here’s are just a few of the many opportunities available. Click on the links for more information:

• Thoreau Scholar: Every year, the Henry David Thoreau Foundation awards a handful of $20,000 scholarships to high school seniors who “demonstrate the potential for environmental leadership and intend to pursue interdisciplinary environmental studies in college.”
• Abbey Road offers summer programs for students that range from study abroad to college prep. Students ages 14-18 who demonstrate environmental commitment can apply for a Green Ticket Scholarship in order to attend their informative and enriching summer programs.
• The Apprentice Ecologist Initiative offers three $1,750 scholarships to students who write an essay about an environmental project they’ve been working on.
• The President’s Environmental Youth Award recognizes projects “developed by young individuals, school classes (kindergarten through high school), summer camps, public interest groups, and youth organizations to promote environmental awareness.”
• Each year, Action for Nature recognizes the creative environmental projects of “eco-conscious youth” by honoring them with the Eco-Hero Award.

Follow this link to search through opportunities for yourself.

Start your own environmental project!

Do you see an environmental problem in your community that you think you can solve? Do you want to be able to help out with global issues? Then get started with something of your own! It’s the start of a new year, a reminder that it’s never to early to pursue your interests. Experiment, research, and experiment some more. Don’t be afraid to make mistakes as you go — it’s all part of the learning experience.

Kale B. Connerty
Boston Tutoring Services