Printer Friendly Version - Essex Garden Club Awards Scholarships

The Essex Garden Club presented scholarships to seven local students. Pictured are (front) recipients Nathaniel Hill, Abigail Reardon, and Anna Benson with (back) recipients Cayden Willetts-Johnson, Anna McCauley, and Zachary Jones, along with Deb Carreau, chair of the Essex Garden Club Scholarship Committee. Missing from photo is Michael McCauley. Photo courtesy of Essex Garden Club

The Essex Garden Club is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2024 college scholarships. The scholarships are awarded to students who are pursuing studies related to the environment. This year, scholarships totaling $24,000 were awarded to seven area students.

Anna Benson, a 2023 graduate of Valley Regional High School (VRHS), will be a sophomore in the fall and attends Northeastern University. Her major is biology, and she is a member of the Husky Environmental Action Team, a club which promotes sustainability on campus.

Nathaniel Hill, a 2021 graduate of VRHS, will be a senior at the University of Vermont’s Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources and is pursuing a degree in sustainability, ecology, and policy with a minor in community and international development. Hill is interested in biodiversity initiatives and studied in Galway, Ireland in the spring of 2024 to expand his knowledge of how small communities create and implement biodiversity action plans.

Cayden Willetts-Johnson, a 2024 graduate of VRHS, is planning on attending the University of Vermont in the fall. Her intended major is environmental science & policy management with a minor in geospatial technologies. She volunteers with the Essex Land Trust and is a member of the Valley Regional Environmental Club.

Zachary Jones, a 2024 graduate of VRHS, is planning on attending the University of Connecticut at Avery Point. His intended major is marine science. He is a member of the Valley Regional Environmental Club and has engaged in volunteer work related to the environment for the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, Clinton Parks and Recreation, and the Essex Land Trust.

Anna McCauley, a 2024 graduate of VRHS, plans to attend Fordham College at Rose Hill in the fall. McCauley plans to pursue a degree in biology and French. McCauley has volunteered with the Essex Land Trust on a riparian buffer study and is a member of the Valley Regional Environmental Club.

Michael McCauley is a 2022 graduate of Xavier High School and will be a junior at Union College in the fall of 2024. His major is environmental policy, and he is interested in the world of advanced manufacturing and believes this is the best way to solve environmental problems the world faces. You can see Michael cleaning up the shores of North Cove this summer.

Abigail Reardon, a 2024 graduate of VRHS, plans to attend the University of Miami, where she will study marine science and biology. Reardon founded the Environmental Club and volunteered with the Essex Land Trust on a riparian buffer study at select locations.

In addition, the Essex Garden Club will provide scholarships to help 50 children from the Essex communities attend area environmental camps offered by The Incarnation Center, Camp Hazen, and Essex Parks and Recreation.

The proceeds from the club’s annual May Market make these scholarships possible, along with generous grants received from The Kitchings Family Foundation and Essex Savings Bank. The club thanks all who supported this endeavor.