The Southern Maryland Sierra Club announced today that three of local students have been selected to receive awards for it’s first annual Scholarship Program. The Southern Maryland Sierra Club Scholarship Program selects students in Southern Maryland that combine upstanding character with academic achievement, and who have shown a dedication to community service with an emphasis on conservation and building a sustainable future for all Southern Maryland residents.
In recognition of their achievements, Caleb Wiggins and Garrett Hurley have both been selected as runners-up, and Rebecca Arnold has been selected as the Scholarship Award first prize winner.
Caleb Wiggins, graduated from McDonough High School, and Garrett Hurley, a Northern High School graduate, were awarded $300 scholarships as runners-up. In addition to their exemplary academic performance, Mr. Wiggins has participated in the Top Teens of America Chesapeake Bay Clean Streams Project, and Mr. Hurley has supported trail construction and maintenance, and native ecosystem conservation efforts at a number of local trails. Mr. Wiggins will be studying Biology at Morgan State University. Mr. Hurley will be attending Towson University, where he will study Computer Science.
“It was truly inspiring to see all the good work that our award winners, and truly all the applicants, are doing in our community,” said Ben Hance, Chair of the Southern Maryland Sierra Club. “I think these students are going to grow into the next generation of community leaders, and help build a stronger, healthier, more just and equitable society for us all.”
Rebecca Arnold, a recent graduate of St. Mary’s Ryken High School, was awarded the $1000 first prize award. In addition to a sterling academic record, Ms. Arnold was an active member of the Envirothon team, where she focused on conservation, environmental, and sustainability education. She is a recipient of the Silver Trefoil and the Gold award for her exemplary work in serving the community as a member of the Girl Scouts. Ms. Arnold will be attending the University of Maryland, College Park this fall, where she will be studying International Relations.
“I am so grateful to have been this year’s Southern Maryland Sierra Club scholarship recipient,” stated Ms. Arnold. “The Sierra Club is an incredible organization that leads local efforts to promote and protect the health of our environment and our community, and I am inspired everyday by their work.”
