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The Delaware Highlands Conservancy has awarded the annual Vanessa Joy VanGorder Memorial Scholarship for $2,000 to Owen Anderson, a 2022 graduate of Eldred Junior-Senior High School.

The Vanessa Joy VanGorder Memorial Scholarship was established in 2015 in honor of Vanessa, who passed away on December 25, 2014. A recent graduate from West Chester University with a degree in education, Vanessa was passionate about the outdoors and loved exploring the region with her friends and family. The Conservancy established this scholarship in Vanessa’s memory and to honor her dream of becoming an educator.

Recipient Owen Anderson will attend SUNY Cobleskill in their A.A.S. Landscape Development program with guaranteed admission to SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) in Syracuse to finish with a B.L.A. in Landscape Architecture. In high school, Owen was Student Council President, a National Honor Society member, and accepted as a member of the NYS Regional Area All-State Symphonic Band as a trombone player. As a Landscape Architect, Owen hopes to “let [his] creativity run wild and construct uniquely beautiful landscapes for all people to enjoy.”

To continue to inspire youth and encourage study and careers in natural science and education, contributions to the scholarship fund and other environmental education and conservation initiatives can be made online at DelawareHighlands.org or by mail to 571 Perkins Pond Rd, Beach Lake, PA 18405.