Essay Contest Offers Scholarship for High School Senior

For the sixth year, the Westborough Community Land Trust (WCLT) plans to award a $500 WCLT Scholarship to the winner of its annual Earth Day Essay Contest. The contest is open to all graduating seniors and runs March 1 through April 1.

Contest details and scholarship forms are available from the Guidance Office.

To enter the contest, seniors must write an essay of 500 to 750 words on one of these three topics:

• An environmental issue in Westborough. Describe an environmental issue that affects a natural resource in Westborough. Propose a solution that would address this issue and/or describe activities in which you have been involved that have worked towards solving this particular problem.
• Sustainable living in Westborough and beyond. Discuss ways that you and others of your generation could live more sustainably on Earth. If applicable, include a description of changes you have made in your own life that have enabled you or your family to live more sustainably.
• Protection of Westborough's natural heritage and special places. Describe a place in Westborough that you think is especially important to protect, and explain why. Discuss what you have done or propose ways that you could help to protect Westborough's natural heritage.

The WCLT Scholarship will be presented to the winner of the essay contest at the graduation.

Seniors do not need to plan an environmental emphasis in their future studies or career in order to enter the contest and apply for the scholarship. WCLT sees environmental awareness and responsibility as an aspect of good citizenship for everyone.

WCLT is a private, member-supported, nonprofit organization. The trust was established in 1997 to preserve open space in response to increasing development pressures. To date, WCLT has preserved more than 160 acres of land and acts as stewards for close to 400 acres in Westborough.

 Submitted. Courtesy Westborough Community Land Trust.