There are many environmental, wildlife conservation and/or human-wildlife coexistence issues requiring immediate, and ongoing, attention. An area that I personally feel is most urgent is addressing our environment, and how humans can directly impact its sustainability, or contribute to its destruction. I personally became interested in understanding these patterns at a very young age, and it started with how much trash and debris I observed around my community. Living near beaches the amount of plastics in and around the ocean was alarming. Aware of the hazards posed to both animals, and humans alike, I started looking into how me and my family could make a difference. We started by volunteering with our state parks and beaches for clean up events on Earth Day. We volunteered for those every year and I found the experiences extremely rewarding. This grew my passion and interest in learning about more ways to get involved in environmental and wildlife issues. Being inspired by the impact I could see we made by keeping plastics out of the ocean, and debris and trash off of our park trails, I researched ways I could make a difference along roadways. I spoke with my family who gave me the green light to spearhead an initiative we could all get behind. As a family invested in making an impact on the hazards of pollution and liter, my family decided to adopt a stretch of roadway through the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control’s (DNREC) Adopt a Highway program. As the designated family sponsor, my responsibilities include: ensuring periodic clean ups are performed, reaching out to the program manager to get clean up supplies, like trash bags and gloves, filling out the activity report once a clean up has been done, requesting pickups of items deemed hazardous, or too large to fit in our bins, and submitting photos of us doing the actual cleanup. It gives me a sense of purpose and pride knowing I am taking an active role in keeping our community clean. Going into my sophomore year in college, as an environmental science major, I am learning a lot about the importance of natural ecosystems, how they work, as well as, how humans can best protect them. I am also taking biology-related courses, as I am striving to have a minor in biology. These classes relate directly to my career goal of becoming an Environmental Biologist. I plan to research how pollution affects the natural world and how to best combat habitat loss. Pollution and climate change not only affect the environment, and a variety of ecosystems, but how these factors have, and will continue, to pose a threat to wildlife and humans, alike. Furthermore, I would like to use my education to explore how maintaining healthy ecosystems prevents species extinction, and work to ensure that biodiversity supports a functional planet. I understand the importance of environmental balance and that the interconnection of all species contributes to benefits for all. Without efforts to maintain this balance, the loss of one organism can disrupt the food chain and overall ecosystem health. Biodiversity provides clean air, water, carbon sequestration, medicines, and food security. In addition, conserving natural landscapes ensures species have the space and resources to thrive. While my environmental campaign initially started by picking up trash and recycling, I've realized each piece is one less piece that could disrupt the environment and put wildlife at risk. Protecting the environment and wildlife is an urgent part of what I plan to do as a career, and it starts with being invested in the environment right in my backyard.

Thank you for giving the gift of higher education to a deserving student in honor of Mr. John Young. I appreciate having the opportunity to tell you a little about myself and the passion I’m choosing to pursue. I am a senior in high school with a STEM pathway in Animal Science. I have always had a love for animals and have wanted to become a Veterinarian for as long as I can remember. I am a hard working student who ranks in the top 10% of my class. In addition to being a straight A student, I work part time at Chick-fil-A and volunteer a couple times/month at my local PetSmart for a nonprofit agency, Purrfect Haven. My role entails socializing the animals to get them prepared for adoption in a forever home. I am also an active member in many clubs and organizations within my school community. I belong to almost every Honor Society my school offers; National Honor Society, Science Honor Society, English Honor Society, and RHO Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society. I was in the Chinese Immersion program in my district from 1st grade through 10th grade. I then decided to hone my skills in another language, Latin, which I felt would be very useful going into the medical field. I believe I would be a great candidate for the John Young ‘Pursue Your Passion’ Scholarship, as it seems our values align. I, too, have a drive to excel and pride myself in being someone who has always worked hard and never backed away from a challenge. Moreover, I take someone’s investment into my education seriously and plan to pay it forward when I am in a position to do so myself. This scholarship would help me cover the cost of tuition for the courses I will need to take as an undergraduate in a small Animal Science program on my way to becoming a Veterinarian. There will be many years of schooling, training and learning beyond my undergraduate studies, and I am determined to make my dream a reality. With the help of this scholarship I could focus more on my demanding coursework and less about costs of courses. Furthermore, my passion is not just to become a Veterinarian, I would like to expand my helping and healing of animals to partnerships with mental health agencies. The goal would be to help connect those struggling with depression and anxiety with an emotional support animal to improve the quality of life for both. This impact is desired to help foster more well-adjusted individuals in society, while also ensuring the care and safety of many animals. Again, thank you for this opportunity and your consideration of my application as an award recipient for the John Young ‘Pursue Your Passion’ Scholarship. This gift is one I would proudly list on my academic resume. To dedicate and share the story of such a brave man, who sacrificed so much, would be an honor.

Thank you for extending the gift of support for higher education in the form of the Kayla Nicole Monk Memorial Scholarship. I am truly sorry for your loss. I am a senior in high school with a STEM pathway in Animal Science. I have always had a love for animals and have wanted to become a Veterinarian for as long as I can remember. I have 2 green cheek conure parakeets (JaQuish & Chilli) and a corn snake named Nuget. Though our beloved dog is no longer with us, I am happy with the pets I do have and was able to get a great deal of animal experience in my Animal Science courses over the past 4 years. These classes included Foundations of Domestic Animal Science, Growth and Development of Domestic Animals, Domestic Animal Management and Work Based Learning. In these courses we had text-based learning, as well as practical experiences, like how to administer medications, the overall anatomy of dogs and cats, and treatments for various illnesses. Every day of the past 4 years solidified my passion to devote my career towards helping animals. The same dedication and passion I have for my pets and animals at school, I have for my academics. I am a hard working student who ranks in the top 10% of my class. In addition to being a straight A student, I work part time at Chick-fil-A and volunteer a couple times/month at my local PetSmart for a nonprofit agency, Purrfect Haven. My role entails socializing the cats to get them prepared for adoption in a forever home. I am also responsible for cleaning their cages, litter boxes, feeding them and sometimes showing them for potential families. I am also an active participant in the many clubs and organizations within my school community. I belong to almost every Honor Society my school offers; National Honor Society, Science Honor Society, English Honor Society, and RHO Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society. I was also in the Chinese Immersion program in my district from 1st grade through 10th grade. I then decided to hone my skills in another language, Latin, which I felt would be very useful going into the medical field. The Kayla Nicole Monk Memorial Scholarship would mean so much to me, not just to assist in my tuition, but it would be an honor for me to proudly list this award on my academic resume and share her story. It seems what we share in common is the determination to set goals and work hard to achieve those goals. I pride myself in taking someone’s investment into my education seriously and plan to pay it forward when I am in a position to do so myself. This scholarship would help me get that much closer to my goal of becoming a Veterinarian. I understand there will be many years of schooling, training and learning beyond my undergraduate studies, but I am determined to make my dream a reality. Again, thank you for considering my application as an award recipient for the Kayla Nicole Monk Memorial Scholarship.

Thank you Mrs. Green for sharing a piece of your husband’s legacy by offering the Mark Green Memorial Scholarship to deserving, underrepresented youth. I am honored to have the opportunity to tell you a little about myself, as I believe, based on what you have shared, that my values align with Mr. Green’s. I am a senior in high school with a STEM pathway of animal science. I have always had a love for animals and have wanted to become a Veterinarian for as long as I can remember. I am a hard working student who ranks in the top 10% of my class. In addition to being a straight A student, I work part time at Chick-fil-A and volunteer a few times/month at my local PetSmart, for a nonprofit adoption agency, Purrfect Haven. I belong to almost every Honor Society my school offers; National Honor Society, Science Honor Society, English Honor Society, and RHO Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society. In addition, I was in the Chinese Immersion program in my district from 1st grade through 10th grade. I then decided to hone my skills in another language, Latin, which I felt would be very useful going into the medical field. I have been in the chorus/choir all 4 years of high school and find singing and music to be the heartbeat of my soul. I believe I would be a great candidate for your husband’s scholarship because of my determination to do more than others expect of me. I am confident in my abilities to overcome the barriers to higher education which may face me, and not let those deter me from pursuing my goals. I pride myself in being a well rounded student, who has always worked hard and never backed away from a challenge. Moreover, I take someone’s investment into my education seriously and plan to pay it forward when I am in a position to do so myself. I understand my goal of becoming a Veterinarian will require years of schooling, training and diligence, for which I am prepared. I don’t just want to be a Veterinarian, I want to expand my helping and healing of animals to partnerships with mental health agencies. The goal would be to help connect those struggling with depression and anxiety with an emotional support animal to improve the quality of life for both. Many in our communities do not have the resources to manage mental illness, so I would like to make a difference by using my position to bring awareness to the many benefits pet ownership has on improving wellness. I appreciate you taking the time to consider my application for the Mark Green Memorial Scholarship. It would be an absolute honor to proudly list his scholarship on my academic resume and share his story with others. Again, thank you in advance for your consideration.