2024 Scholarship Recipients
Our scholarships are for students interested in post-secondary study of horticulture, landscaping, forestry, agriculture, plant sciences, and environmental science topics related to plant life: topics such as conservation of local plant species, control of invasive plants, and soil conservation. Eligible students include those in their senior year in local high schools, as well as graduates from local high schools who are already attending a post-secondary institution. Through the year-long efforts of its members, the club, as part of its 25th Anniversary Celebration, increased its 2024 scholarship fund allocation to $5,000.
Following a lengthy review of applications by the Scholarship Team, Nancy Menton, Scholarship Team Leader, announced the names of this year’s recipients at its June meeting: Maya Barnett, Katherine Herring, Molly Neu, Olivia Simione, and Madeline Wolfe. Congratulations!
Following a lengthy review of applications by the Scholarship Team, Nancy Menton, Scholarship Team Leader, announced the names of this year’s recipients at its June meeting: Maya Barnett, Katherine Herring, Molly Neu, Olivia Simione, and Madeline Wolfe. Congratulations!
Maya Barnett
Maya just finished her second year at the University of Vermont where she is studying plant biology with minors in wildlife biology and sustainable landscape horticulture. She is working with tree fern specimens in the university’s herbarium.
In addition to her academics, Maya is one of the women’s coordinators for the university’s cycling club and she is involved in the Nordic club. Maya says she has really been getting to know Vermont’s Green Mountains quite well because of her back-country skiing at Bolton Valley and on Mount Mansfield. Her past gardening experiences have included working with professional gardeners Cindy Heath and Henry Homeyer, as well as at the Gardener’s Supply Company and Riverview Farm. This summer Maya is starting her second year with the Randolph Mountain Club as a member of the trail crew in the northern Presidential Range. Her work will focus on trail maintenance and construction to mitigate erosion and protect the surrounding fragile ecosystems. |
Maya Barnett
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Katherine Herring
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Katherine Herring
Katherine Herring, a 2024 graduate of Lebanon High School, is looking forward to attending Mount Holyoke College in the fall where she will be majoring in environmental science.
During her high school years, Katherine worked, volunteered, and interned with the Upper Valley Trails Alliance in Norwich, VT. During her summers, she assisted in the construction of trails that were designed to be accessible to those with disabilities and while doing this work, Katherine found that it “…not only provided me with practical skills in trail building and environmental stewardship but has also imbued me with a sense of purpose and connection to my community.” Outside of school, Katherine is passionate about running, cross country skiing, trail building and hiking, and spending time outside with family and friends. Wanting to personally say thank you to the Grantham Garden Club for her scholarship, Katherine attended a June meeting when past and present members gathered for a slide presentation that looked back throughout the club's 25 year history. |
Amalia "Molly" Neu
Molly is a rising senior at Smith College, studying Architecture and Computer Science with a concentration in Sustainable Design. She has taken several landscape courses with a focus on native pollinator gardens and the importance of protecting natural habitats. S
Molly has specific interests in biophilic design and sustainable land management. After graduation she plans to obtain her Master of Architecture in a program that focuses on ecological design. Last summer Molly worked as an architectural intern and conducted a case study on carbon emissions as they relate to sustainable historic renovations. This study has been used to support state government policy-making. This summer she is interning for The Center for Environment, Ecological Design and Sustainability at Smith College. |
Molly Neu
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Olivia Simione
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Olivia Simione
Olivia will be entering her junior year at Lafayette College where she is majoring in Environmental Science with a minor in Spanish.
Even before she started her freshman year, Olivia was working on LaFarm, the college’s 3-acre diversified vegetable production farm that grows food for the college, food banks, and the community. She said that her gardening hobby, which began on her family’s community garden plot in Eastman, quickly turned into a serious passion for regenerative agriculture during her work on the farm. In the past year, Olivia started a position at Garden Roses. This new small business aims to “hybridize roses with good disease resistance, strong fragrance, unique colors, and beautiful bloom form.” She has learned to propagate own-root roses from out-of-patent parent roses through cuttings and air layering in this new position. While Olivia will continue her work at LaFarm and Garden Roses, the summer of 2024 will find her working at the WestWard Market as the Power of Produce (POP) Coordinator. POP is a farmer's market-based children's program that teaches children and families about the benefits of fresh produce, local food systems, and healthy food preparation through activities and seasonal recipes. |
Madeline Wolfe
Madeline will be entering her junior year at Dartmouth College, studying Geography and Environmental Studies, with focuses on sustainable agriculture and climate change. After a gap year working at Riverview Farm where she came to better understand the science required to maximize crop yields, Madeline currently is conducting research on three projects: climate change impacts on irrigated agriculture; regenerative agriculture modeling; and agroecological transitions.
One of Madeline’s interests is the relationship between the changes in the environment and the impact that humans have on those changes. This summer she is looking forward to taking an Agroecology class that has a lab portion at Dartmouth's Organic Farm. Campus life finds Madeline involved with the Outing Club and Club Triathlon, and she loves to hike, run, bike, and spend any free time she has outdoors. Looking ahead, Madeline isn’t sure yet about her future plans, but she is considering research, education, or farming sustainably. |
Madeline Wolfe
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YEAR |
RECIPIENT |
UNIVERSITY / COLLEGE |
DEGREE / MAJOR |
2002 |
Mike Burns |
University of New Hampshire |
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2003 |
Mike Burns |
University of New Hampshire |
|
2004 |
Lynn Wharton |
Vermont School of Floral Design |
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2005 |
Carol Gage |
College of Life Long Learning |
|
2006 |
Kyle Cummings |
University of Rhode Island |
Landscape Architecture |
2007 |
Kyle Cummings |
University of Rhode Island |
Landscape Architecture |
2008 |
Kyle Cummings |
University of Rhode Island |
Landscape Architecture |
2009 |
Kyle Cummings |
University of Rhode Island |
Landscape Architecture |
2010 |
Riley Allen Jared Johnson |
University of New Hampshire University of New Hampshire |
Applied Science & Horticulture Forestry Technology/Dairy Management |
2011 |
Samuel Nelson Carina Pappalardo Alexander Wulff |
University of New Hampshire University of New Hampshire University of Maine |
Forestry Technology Forestry Technology Environmental Science |
2012 |
Keelin Banks Samuel Nelson |
Green Mountain College University of New Hampshire |
Sustainable Agriculture Forestry Technology |
2013 |
Jesse Cutting Erica M. Johnson Peter J. Martin |
Paul Smith's College UNH, Thompson School College of the Atlantic |
Forestry Technology Horticulture Technology Biology |
2014 |
Mary Caffrey Hannah Hibbard |
UNH, College of Life Sciences & Agriculture UNH, Thompson School |
Zoology Horticulture |
2015 |
Jessica Kowalski Stacie Powers |
UNH, College of Life Sciences & Agriculture UNH, College of Life Sciences & Agriculture |
Environmental Conservation & Sustainable Agriculture Environmental Conservation & Sustainable Agriculture |
2016 |
Caroline Wren |
Colby College |
Environmental Science |
2017 |
Brianna Hanson Caroline Wren |
University of New Hampshire Colby College |
Ornamental Horticulture/Entrepreneurial Studies Environmental Science |
2018 |
Ethan Daly Caroline Wren |
Boston College Colby College |
Environmental Science Environmental Science |
2019 |
Julianne Borger Ethan Daly Shaun Kronenwetter Caroline Wren |
Smith College Boston College Colby College Colby College |
Environmental Science & Policy Environmental Studies Environmental Economics & Policy Environmental Science |
2020 |
Allison Carl |
University New Hampshire |
Biochemistry & Environmental Science |
2021 |
Christopher Brahan |
University of Maine |
Environmental Science |
2022 |
Maya Barnett Christopher Brahan |
University of Vermont University of Maine |
Plant Sciences Environmental Science |
2023 |
Maya Barnett Anna Lick Olivia Simione Madeline Wolfe |
University of Vermont University of Vermont Lafayette College Dartmouth College |
Plant Biology Environmental Studies Environmental Science Geography & Environmental Studies |
2024 |
Maya Barnett Katherine Herring Amalia "Molly" Neu Olivia Simione Madeline Wolfe |
University of Vermont Mount Holyoke Smith College Lafayette College Dartmouth College |
Plant Biology Environmental Science Architecture and Computer Science Environmental Science Geography & Environmental Studies |