We are pleased to announce that two students have been chosen to receive the 2019 Maine Youth Environmental Leaders Scholarship, a $15,000 merit-based award given to Maine high school juniors seeking to attend Maine Coast Semester at Chewonki. The semester-long academic program focuses on transformative growth, appreciation and stewardship of the natural world, and building sustainable communities.
The 2019 scholarship recipients are Inez Furth from Edmunds, Maine, and Ruby Peterman from Hollis, Maine. Both students will attend Maine Coast Semester this fall.
“We’re excited to provide this scholarship for Maine youth who want to explore the relationship between human systems and the natural world,” says Susan Feibelman, Head of Semester School. “Maine Coast Semester has been providing this unique academic opportunity to students for more than 30 years, and we are delighted to welcome Inez and Ruby into our fall class.”
Furth, a sophomore currently attending Washington Academy in East Machias, was selected for her outstanding academic record, interest in marine biology, and local community contributions. For the past two years, Furth has been working with members of her school, the Washington County 4-H, and UMaine Cooperative Extension on a local project called “Community F.E.A.S.T. (Food, Education, Agriculture, Sustainability and Technology),” an effort to ensure that fresh, local produce is available to individuals facing food insecurity. The project is funded by Microsoft and the National 4-H Council. Furth also works on her family’s 9th-generation farm and creamery in Edmunds.
Peterman, a sophomore at Baxter Academy for Technology and Science in Portland, was selected for her interest in environmental science and mechanical engineering, strong academic performance, and consistent engagement in youth activism and environmental waste issues. Peterman is a founding member of her school’s environmental club, a participant in her school’s “Student Feedback Circle,” part of a youth organization called MYCJ (Maine Youth for Climate Justice), and a member of Baxter Academy’s award-winning robotics team.
About the Maine Youth Environmental Leaders Scholarship
The Maine Youth Environmental Leaders Scholarship is a merit-based scholarship provided to two Maine students, currently in 10th grade, to attend Maine Coast Semester at Chewonki during their junior year. The $15,000 scholarship covers approximately one-half of tuition and fees. Successful applicants are in the top 20% of their class, have the support of a school or community leader, have demonstrated an appreciation for the natural world, and imagine a future creating positive change for their Maine community. https://mainecoastsemester.org/admissions/scholarship/
About Maine Coast Semester at Chewonki
Maine Coast Semester at Chewonki is a semester-long academically rigorous residential program in Wiscasset, Maine, serving high school juniors. Learning takes place in classrooms, in the field, on the coast, at the farm, in the forest, and on extended wilderness trips. Side by side with their teachers, students explore the concepts behind human ecology, the intersection between humans and their natural, social, and built environments. https://mainecoastsemester.org
For more information please contact:
Cullen McGough
Director of Communications
Chewonki Foundation
Tel: (207) 882-7323
Email: cmcgough@chewonki.org
