​​We are delighted to announce the recipients of the 2024 Friends of Moraine Hills Environmental Studies/Natural Science Scholarships. Each recipient will receive a check for $2,000 to put towards their college endeavors.

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The 2024 Scholarship Committee consisted of Sharon Lane, John Chuey, and Mike Szurek.

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                  Pictured, left to right: Neil Whitman, FOMHSP Chairperson; Mike Szurek; Ms. Gibson, Heidi's mother; Heidi Gibson, Sharon Lane

                  Not pictured: Camryn Cook, who was in Cardiff Wales, playing in a rugby tournament and John Chuey

 

CAMRYN COOK graduated from Jacobs High School, Algonquin, IL. Her school recommendations mention her self-motivation, leadership, very high academic standards, and athletic abilities. Camryn volunteers as Chairperson and Youth Outreach Coordinator with Chicagoland High School & Elgin Democrats, Student Government President, National Honor Society President, and Green Eagles Vice President. In athletics she is Captain & MVP of Varsity Basketball and plays rugby at a national level. Camryn will be attending Dartmouth College and has been accepted to play rugby there. She plans to study international law with a focus in environmental policy.

 

HEIDI GIBSON graduated from Trinity Christian Academy, Cary, IL. Her School recommendations mention her dedication, exceptional academic performance, enthusiasm for learning and ability to work as a team member. Heidi's passion for the environment is evident in her volunteer activities which include: bird monitor at both Moraine Hills and Volo Bog and Volo Bog restoration project that involved brush clearing and seed collection. Also, she volunteers at Wings & Talons in Itasca, helping owls and other birds of prey. All of this, plus an excellent academic record made Heidi a wonderful choice for our scholarship. Heidi will be attending Taylor University, Upland, IN studying Environmental Science.
 

Following are the essays of our winners. I hope you find them as interesting as did the Scholarship Committee.
 

                                                 Essay by Camryn Cook

 

     I am incredibly grateful to have been afforded the opportunity to play rugby at Dartmouth College this fall. While there, I will study international relations, and I plan on putting a focus on environmental policy and the United States relationship with Latinoamerica. Environmental policy is important domestically, but as the threat of climate change looms, international cooperation on environmental policy and issues is absolutely necessary. I hope to be able to intern for a global environmental policy organization and work to advance the goals of the United Nations Environmental Programme, particularly in sustainable development. As for a career, I would like to combine my skills in Spanish and policy with my passion for the environment through the U.S. State Department or other federal agency. I believe that through incentives within trade policy, the United States can help industrializing countries prioritize sustainable development and practices, which will benefit them and the world in the long run. Pollution, land degradation, and deforestation are all environmental implications of industrialization, which is necessary for the development of different nations in our global society. If this industrialization can be accomplished while maintaining low-carbon emissions and land integrity, while also holding human rights and happiness in the greatest consideration, global climate change can be mitigated in an equitable manner. Additionally, I hope to continue spending my time volunteering and partaking in my gardening hobby. At my club rugby pitch in Chicago, I helped start a community garden for members of the club and residents of Northern Lawndale. I don't know where I will end up residing, but I plan on establishing gardens similar to this one at any club that I play at throughout my career. Gardens such as these will bolster my club's standing in the community, promote the sport of rugby, and provide good food for whichever urban community I'll one day call home. While at Dartmouth, I also plan to join the gardening league and the Dartmouth Outing Club, which is the oldest collegiate outdoors club in the nation. I also hope that my career brings me opportunities to travel, so that I may lend a helping hand to organizations abroad with land or water body cleanup. Throughout my career, I would like to keep the Earth and all of its inhabitants as my top-priority.

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                                                  Essay by Heidi Gibson

 

     Nature has captivated me ever since I was a small child. We're surrounded by thousands of species going about their lives and impacting our in a myriad of ways, both seen and unseen. We humans are unique in that we're blessed with the ability to untangle this web of life and see how our actions affect it. Unlike other animals, we can track our affects long-term and judge whether we're helping or hurting the environment. It is our duty to monitor this to ensure that our world remains healthy for generations to come! I believe that through dedicated effort we can live sustainably on Earth and I've chosen to devote my life to this cause. This is why I'm pursuing a degree in Environmental Science - to protect what we have, restore what we've lost and educate others on why it's important and how they can help.

     Humanity has, unfortunately, left many wounds on Earth, many of which often seem impossible to heal. I do believe, however, that they can be fixed. We need to shift into more sustainable living practices - this will take time and it won't always be easy, but it must be done. I'm especially interested in sustainable farming practices, ecofriendly home design, and bringing nature back into urban & suburban spaces. Later in my career, I would enjoy working with farmers to help them coexist with nature on their property. I also have a lot of passion for nature-friendly suburban design and I'm interested in developing solutions to issues such as bird-on-building collisions, monoculture lawns, and the lack of biodiversity in our public spaces.

     I've already begun getting involved in my field through local volunteering! I'm a hard worker, good team player, and an optimist. I enjoy working with other people and I don't mind doing the difficult work to get a job well done. I care for birds of prey at Wings & Talons, where I also participate in programs to educate the public about local raptor species and conservation; this is one of my biggest passions. I clear invasive brush and monitor plants at Volo Bog SNA. I monitor birdhouses right here at Moraine Hills State Park. I also do a good deal of citizen science, primarily through bird surveying; I've participated in 3 counts so far and will also be doing the McHenry Spring Bird Count & MOON monitoring (owls & nightjars) this summer. I'm excited to attend college, get my degree, and see where life takes me!