Sunflower Garden Club grants scholarships to next generation of scientists

Thanks to the support of the Sunflower Garden Club basket sale this year and the fall mum sales, scholarships were awarded to three Huntley High School students. 

Darlene Pratt, Chair of the Scholarship Committee, said, “Our sales were so well supported, we were able to increase the number of scholarships from the two planned to three.”

The students who applied were required to pursue a field of study in agriculture, botany, horticulture, or environmental sciences and services.

Pratt said, “The students were required to write an essay of at least 500 words that included their achievements, why the scholarship was important, and their school and non-school extracurricular activities. Laura Martens in the Huntley High School College and Career Center screened and made sure the requirements were met.”

Along with Pratt, other committee members were Alice Benedict, Marilynn Berendt, Mary Jo McElwain, and Chris Shellhass.

“The committee received the applicants’ work with the identifying information redacted. A rubric was used to develop a scoring system. The three students were unanimously selected. The students did a fantastic job. They were intelligent, goal-oriented, and nice,” said Pratt.

Sophia Amin, Madelyn Hanson, and Emma Swcersz were the deserving recipients of the $1,000 scholarship.

Pratt said, “The scholarship is for college costs related to enrollment in an accredited two—or four-year degree at a college/university earning an associate/bachelor degree or completion of an accredited trade school program.”

The students were recognized on Recognition Night at Huntley High School on May 15, 2024. 

“It was nice for the students to be recognized by their peers. And we got to meet their parents. The students got the checks at our Sunflower Garden Club meeting on June 20. They also participated in a Pot Lunch organized by Chris Shellhaas.”

This is the second year of the scholarship program. 

Pratt said, “I have kept in touch with last year’s recipients. And over Christmas break, I found out that one of the students majoring in Environmental Science decided to take on a second major, Environmental Law.”

In the fall, the club will be selling mums again. Supporting this sale will allow the Garden Club to continue the scholarships.

“At our spring sale, some residents said they could get flowers anywhere, but they were buying from the Garden Club to support the program. The flowers are reasonable and healthy plants from the nursery,” Pratt said.

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