The Harris Center for Conservation Education has awarded Zoe Werth and Trevor Faber, two students in the ConVal Class of 2020, its Environmental Leader Award.
These annual awards, which come with a $2,500 scholarship, are given to students who have demonstrated a strong interest and involvement in environmental issues during their high school years and are headed to colleges where they intend to make the environment an important part of their college studies. The scholarships were made possible through the generosity of an anonymous donor who believes that the health of our environment is ultimately in the hands of young people who are committed to making a positive impact on the natural world.
Werth, a Peterborough resident, will be going to the University of New Hampshire in the fall, majoring in Biomedical Science at its College of Life Sciences and Agriculture. Faber, of Hancock, will be attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute to study Mechanical Engineering; he intends to bring his love for nature into the engineering field to help fight climate change. Both students put their passion for the environment into action during their high school years.
An avid outdoors enthusiast active in outdoor recreation groups, Faber did an independent study focused on renewable energy sources during his senior year at ConVal. His research explorations took him from creating his own miniature wind turbine that could replace solar panels in shaded windy areas, to building a 36v 20A battery pack from recycled laptops, and finally to constructing a hydrogen generator made of recycled parts. Werth’s environmental activities and interests range from agricultural sustainability practices to political advocacy for clean energy. She has worked at the Farm to Fork branch of the Cornucopia Project for the past four years and has advocated for solar panels at ConVal and for political candidates who support the Green New Deal.
The Harris Center is pleased to award the honor and scholarships associated with its Environmental Leader Award to these two deserving ConVal graduates.