Scholarships/Awards

FOEC Scholarship in Environmental Studies

Please see the following link for details about our scholarship and let me know at jeanette.evans@sbcglobal.net if you have any questions.

http://www.euclidcreekwatershed.org/euclid-creek/programs/foec-scholarship

Here is some information about our past scholarship and winner.

We are happy to present details of our scholarship:
  • Purpose of the Scholarship - The Friends of Euclid Creek (FOEC) seek applications from students planning to pursue degrees or certificates in environmental studies.
  • Awards - One $1000 scholarship will be awarded to a deserving student to be used for educational purposes.
  • Criteria - We  will evaluate applicants based on their potential to contribute to the field of environmental studies.
  • Eligibility -   The applicant must not be a previous scholarship recipient and must be a high school senior or college student planning to pursue a degree or certificate in environmental studies. We prefer a student who attends or has attended a school located in Beachwood, Cleveland, Euclid, Highland Heights, Lyndhurst, Mayfield Heights, Richmond Heights, South Euclid, Willoughby Hills, or Mayfield Village - the cities in the Euclid Creek watershed.  
  • Schedule -  All application materials must be postmarked on or before April 1, 2015.
  • Questions - Direct questions to jeanette.evans@sbcglobal.net.  
  • To apply 
     1. Provide a minimum of one letter of recommendation from a teacher, counselor, or community member. 
     2. Submit a one- to two-page cover letter describing your career goals, past volunteer work related to environmental studies, and significant achievements to date. Follow proper letter format, include your name, address, telephone number, and email, and sign the letter before mailing. 
     3. Send completed items to Friends of Euclid Creek, P.O. Box 21384, Euclid, Ohio 44121 unless agreed upon otherwise via email. 
     4. Complete an interview with members of the Friends of Euclid Creek when invited.

Recipient - FOEC Scholarship in Environmental Studies (2014)

We are pleased to announce that as of June/July 2014 we have awarded our Friends of Euclid Creek Scholarship in Environmental Studies to Anne Roberto who is pursuing environmental studies at Tri-C, planning to transfer to CSU to obtain an bachelor's degree in environmental science with a focus in biology.


Annie stated in her application letter that it is her "goal to become an environmental scientist working in the field of wildlife conservation. I am also interested in the field of sustainability and the career of a sustainability specialist."

"I have had an interest in environmental science from a young age ... and ... grew up in South Euclid.. where the Euclid Creek runs through my backyard...playing and exploring in the creek. I had an interest and curiosity in the different changes that occurred within the creek from different environmental factors such as the weather, and also human factors like pollution."

"Growing up, being surrounded by nature stirred a passion in me to want to work towards preserving it. I am quite concerned with the effects of pollution in my community as well as the rest of the planet, and the effects on human health."

"I am connecting more pieces each day through my education and gaining insight into the environmental systems, and the detrimental effects that cause changes to them. I am hoping that through my education I can help protect and preserve not only wildlife, but also help make a difference in the negative effects on our planet."


Recipient - FOEC Scholarship in Environmental Studies (2015)



Abbigail Smith is the winner of our 2015 scholarship. 

Abbi grew up in Mentor and as of 2015 she is attending Murray State University, in Murray, Kentucky. She explains, 

"My major is Environmental Geology. This curriculum includes courses in GIS, sediments and Soil classifications, and water sciences, which is my main area of interest. 

"Having lived on Lake Erie my entire life, I developed at a young age a love for the water and how it is effected by nature and man. My mother and grandfather often took me fishing in the Lake Erie tributaries, including Euclid Creek, for steelhead trout. "

"This is where I started to get my interest in geology and watersheds. They would often point out rock formations, shale cliffs, stream bank erosion, siltation, and all of the life in the water. This exposure throughout my life has had a big influence on why I am pursuing a career in environmental geology with water quality and watersheds as my main interest."



"In 2014, for one of my college courses, I wrote a paper on the current water quality issues of Lake Erie.  Writing this paper gave me a better understanding of these manmade problems. People need to be educated about watershed issues. I have personally experienced the late summer algae bloom on Lake Erie.  Some years we have seen hundreds of dead fish on our beach caused by oxygen depletion from decaying algae. We need to take action to protect this valuable resource, and keep it as clean as possible."

"This coming summer I will be studying the Obion Creek watershed in Kentucky with Professor, Dr. Gary Stinchcomb as part of an internship program. During this study I will be taking water and soil samples to see the effects of the old creek restoration project. This opportunity will greatly increase my knowledge and understanding of watersheds. My career goal is to work in watershed studies and help make a difference in something that is so close to us all. Water quality is a huge interest of mine and I hope that one day we will see a change in the rivers and lakes we live by. "

Here is a great picture of Abbi at age 11 with her grandfather. They are fishing at Conneaut Creek.  


Here are links to her application letter and a letter of recommendation.


Recipient - FOEC Scholarship in Environmental Studies (2016)

We are pleased to announce our winner for 2016 to be Gopal Mandel. With an ultimate goal to become a "researcher or professor who helps to preserve and protect nature" our 2016 Friends of Euclid Creek Scholarship in Environmental Studies winner - Gopal Mandal - has done so much already.

In his own words "in the summer after tenth grade, I met a professor who wanted to test the effects of deforestation on the local salamander population."  Gopal continues, " we had to build clay salamander models to see if robins, who moved as a result of deforestation, would accidentally eat the salamanders...  I spent over six hours a day doing the same thing... Repetition of simple tasks just showed me how much dedication and patience it took to research. And I loved it."

He went on to do his own research project based on this experience with salamanders. Gopal explains "During the winter of my junior year, I researched the acid degradation of brownfields. Coming from Cleveland, a city full of these brownfields, I often wondered what chemical and products form when they come into contact with acid rain." This dedication and initiative should serve him well in his future endeavors.

After graduating from Mayfield High School in the spring of 2016, Gopal plans to attend Case Western Reserve University in the fall. We wish him good luck in his future and wish to recognize his potential to contribute to the field of environmental studies.
Awards

Here is a list by year of awards presented.

2015

Volunteer of the Year
Ginny Aveni

Community Partner Award
NEORSD


Tom Jenkins Award
Jeanette Evans 

2014 

Tom Jenkins Award
Barb Holtz


Community Partner Award
Jan Rybka


Public Officials Award
Cathy Murphy, President, Highland Heights City Council 


2013

Tom Jenkins Award
Fran Hogg 

Good Neighbor Award 
Joseph Phillips of Hollywood Scapes 

Community Partner Award
Derek Schaefer

Public Officials Award 

Chris Vild, Service Department, Beachwood, Ohio 

Volunteer of the Year Award
Connie Herron

2012

2012 Tom Jenkins Award -
Frank Skala
For his years of outstanding contributions to Friends of Euclid Creek

2012 Good Neighbor Award -

Northeast Shores Development Corporation
Sustainability Initiatives and Partnership for Cleveland Lakefront State

2012 Public Officials Award -
Cleveland Metroparks
Partners with FOEC and protectors and stewards of the environment, particularly taking on Acacia

2012 Certificate of Appreciation -
Judy Deardon
Outstanding Efforts in Education of the Community on the Environment and Ecology of the Watershed, Highland Hts. Green Task Force

2012 Volunteer of the Year Award -
Brian Gilbert
Outstanding efforts to expand knowledge and information on plants within the Euclid Creek Watershed

Special Acknowledgment -
Alan Klonowski, certified arborist
Lending his expertise and preparing assessment (pro bono) for Richmond Hts. property grant proposal

2011

Service Awards
    David Roache
    Rick Evans
    Lou Rifici
    Barb Pophal
Tom Jenkins Award 
    Ken Messinger Rapport

Pioneer Award 
    Lee Gase

2010

Tom Jenkins Award:Carolyn SugiuchiContinued service and commitment
Volunteer of the Year:
Meiring Borcherds
Website Management

Public Official:
Mike Polencek
Lower Watershed Support

Service Award:
Fran Hogg
Continuing Grant Work

Service Award:
Dave Roche
Community Watershed Support for Greenwood Farms

Service Award:
Jeanette Evans
Continuing Grant Work


Service Award:
Jane Goodman
Photo contest volunteer

Service Award:
Steven Love
Adopt a Beach


2009

Tom Jenkins Award:
Mary K. Evans

Stewardship Awards:
Mayor Gordon
Rick Glady

Volunteer of the Year:
Jeanette Evans

2008

Tom Jenkins Award:
Ginny Aveni

Service Award:  (for work with SE Citizens for Land Conservation)
Barb Holtz
Sunny Simon

Service Award: (for work with LOGS)
Frank Skala
Ken Rapport

Service Award:   (for developing promotional packet)
Bob Gibbons

2007 
Tom Jenkins Award:
Larry McFadden

Service Award:
Fran Hogg

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