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2005 Ron Vellekamp Environmental Scholarship Now Accepting Applications Annual Hackensack Riverkeeper award to be awarded in June Applications are now being accepted for the 2005 Ron Vellekamp Environmental Scholarship. Now in its fifth year, the program was created to support college-bound high school seniors who demonstrate a strong commitment to the environment. The guidance departments of every high school in the Hackensack River watershed, which lies in parts of three counties (Rockland in New York; and Bergen and Hudson in New Jersey), were contacted on January 3rd and invited to nominate one of their students for the scholarship. There are 61 public, private and parochial high schools within our watershed. Guidance counselors or faculty advisors can submit applications on behalf of any student they feel is deserving of consideration. A panel that includes Captain Bill Sheehan, trustees and staff of Hackensack Riverkeeper will review each application. In choosing a winner, the panel will consider each applicant’s academic achievements, environmental extra-curricular activities and future plans. The $1000 scholarship is unrestricted and can be used for the purchase of books or other educational materials during the student’s first year in college. The 2004 Scholarship was awarded to Daniel De Santis of New City, New York. While enrolled at Clarkstown Senior High School South, De Santis worked with the organization Keep Rockland Beautiful to develop environmental education (EE) programs for young children. He also started an advisory board that brought student leaders together from five Rockland County high schools to do EE. De Santis is currently in his second semester at Clark University in Worcester, MA, where he is majoring in Global Environmental Science. “Dan was the first applicant who showed such a wealth of experience in environmental outreach,” said Captain Bill Sheehan, executive director of Hackensack Riverkeeper. Application criteria are available on our Website (www.HackensackRiverkeeper.org) or by calling our office at 201-968-0808 and asking for Hugh. Applications must be postmarked no later than Earth Day, April 22, 2005 and the winner’s name will be announced on Wednesday, June 1, 2005. Established in 2001 through the generosity of one of Hackensack Riverkeeper’s Trustees, the Ron Vellekamp Environmental Scholarship is maintained today by her continuing support and that of the family of the late Mr. Vellekamp, a native of Tenafly, NJ. A Ridgefield High School teacher, he also served as a part-time ranger at Palisades Interstate Park, a Scout leader and a trustee of Hackensack Riverkeeper. “We’ve always endeavored to support students who show the same level of commitment to environmental protection that Ron had,” said Capt. Bill. “It’s his living memorial.” Past Winners of the Ron Vellekamp Environmental Scholarship 2001: Rebecca Nelson, Cresskill, NJ, Cresskill Junior-Senior High School 2002: Jacqueline Allalouf, Pearl River, NY, Pearl River High School 2003: Sonia D'Angio, Cliffside Park, NJ, Cliffside Park High School 2004: Daniel DeSantis, New City, NY, Clarkstown Senior High School South |