Irene Holak has been selected as this year's winner of the Scoville Wildlife Scholarship. A 2005 graduate from Auburn High School, Holak is on her way to Green Mountain College in Vermont to study the environment.
"I really wanted to win this scholarship and was very happy when I did,#" Holak said.
The Scoville Wildlife Scholarship Fund was created to honor the memory of Bud Scoville, who was tragically murdered in 2002.
Scoville was opening his bait shop and gas station when he was hit over the head during a robbery. He passed away later in the hospital from a heart attack.
"Bud enjoyed hunting and fishing; he just loved the outdoors," said Bud#'s wife, Cynthia Scoville. "The local people came forward during our tragedy and gave us all kinds of support. We wanted to give something back to the community, so we decided to award an annual scholarship to a graduating senior planning to pursue a career in wildlife management or environmental studies."
In order to receive the scholarship, candidates have to be from a school in Cayuga County. They also have to complete and submit an application with an essay that explains their educational plans and what their goals are in the field of environmental studies. It is not a requirement, but Mrs. Scoville hopes that after receiving their college degree, candidates return to Cayuga County.
Having been active in wildlife and environmental projects is also a factor considered to help determine a scholarship winner. Holak has been very active in environmental education and projects. She was enrolled in the New Vision Environmental Science program offered by the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES.
Of the four scholarship applicants this year, three were enrolled in this program. Holak and her New Vision class were involved in a project making trails in Metcalf Woods, which is located at the corner of Metcalf Drive and South Street. Holak and her classmates prepared a presentation that was given to the Board of Education to request that the New Vision Science Program continue the project at Metcalf Woods and the board agreed. She was involved in a tree-planting project at the Moravia Fair Grounds.
In addition to planting trees, a power point presentation detailing the benefit of planting trees was shown to students in the Moravia elementary and high schools. During Conservation Field Days, Holak identified various aquatic insects at Emerson Park and explained their importance to Owasco Lake. She was also involved in cleaning up the Owasco Lake inlet.
Holak recently completed a course at Cayuga Community College involving the use of GPS and map reading. Her project during the course was to map evasive plant species. As the result of her final essay and grade, Holak received a scholarship to cover the cost of the course.
"I am very proud of my daughter," her mother Alexandra Holak said.
"She is receiving a wonderful scholarship from Green Mountain College in Vermont as the result of her excellent grades and an essay she had to submit with her college application." It#'s no surprise to hear that Irene will be majoring in environmental studies at Green Mountain.
Holak enjoys hiking through the woods and identifying the different species of trees and birds.
She also likes to kayak. Currently, Holak is holding down two jobs.
She works at Wegmans and the Owasco Lake Watershed Association.
After talking to those who knew Bud Scoville, it's clear that he was not only an avid outdoorsman, but a wonderful man.
He was someone that enjoyed people. He would be honored that a young person so dedicated to the environment like Irene Holak won a scholarship set up in his memory.
The Scoville Wildlife Scholarship Fund was created to honor the memory of Bud Scoville, who was tragically murdered in 2002.
Scoville was opening his bait shop and gas station when he was hit over the head during a robbery. He passed away later in the hospital from a heart attack.
"Bud enjoyed hunting and fishing; he just loved the outdoors," said Bud#'s wife, Cynthia Scoville. "The local people came forward during our tragedy and gave us all kinds of support. We wanted to give something back to the community, so we decided to award an annual scholarship to a graduating senior planning to pursue a career in wildlife management or environmental studies."
In order to receive the scholarship, candidates have to be from a school in Cayuga County. They also have to complete and submit an application with an essay that explains their educational plans and what their goals are in the field of environmental studies. It is not a requirement, but Mrs. Scoville hopes that after receiving their college degree, candidates return to Cayuga County.
Having been active in wildlife and environmental projects is also a factor considered to help determine a scholarship winner. Holak has been very active in environmental education and projects. She was enrolled in the New Vision Environmental Science program offered by the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES.
Of the four scholarship applicants this year, three were enrolled in this program. Holak and her New Vision class were involved in a project making trails in Metcalf Woods, which is located at the corner of Metcalf Drive and South Street. Holak and her classmates prepared a presentation that was given to the Board of Education to request that the New Vision Science Program continue the project at Metcalf Woods and the board agreed. She was involved in a tree-planting project at the Moravia Fair Grounds.
In addition to planting trees, a power point presentation detailing the benefit of planting trees was shown to students in the Moravia elementary and high schools. During Conservation Field Days, Holak identified various aquatic insects at Emerson Park and explained their importance to Owasco Lake. She was also involved in cleaning up the Owasco Lake inlet.
Holak recently completed a course at Cayuga Community College involving the use of GPS and map reading. Her project during the course was to map evasive plant species. As the result of her final essay and grade, Holak received a scholarship to cover the cost of the course.
"I am very proud of my daughter," her mother Alexandra Holak said.
"She is receiving a wonderful scholarship from Green Mountain College in Vermont as the result of her excellent grades and an essay she had to submit with her college application." It#'s no surprise to hear that Irene will be majoring in environmental studies at Green Mountain.
Holak enjoys hiking through the woods and identifying the different species of trees and birds.
She also likes to kayak. Currently, Holak is holding down two jobs.
She works at Wegmans and the Owasco Lake Watershed Association.
After talking to those who knew Bud Scoville, it's clear that he was not only an avid outdoorsman, but a wonderful man.
He was someone that enjoyed people. He would be honored that a young person so dedicated to the environment like Irene Holak won a scholarship set up in his memory.
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