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    New Scholarship Paves Way For Green Students

    Its Friday afternoon, and there's anywhere I'd rather be than at school, picking up bins of paper, aluminum, glass, and plastic. I'm here because I'm required to be, but many students have other motives. Thanks to the help of the Community School Environmental Club, programs like recycling don't depend on petty miscreants like myself to stay afloat. Now, as a way to honor our school's most environmentally friendly, the Student Senate is creating a scholarship fund, going towards the next year's tuition, to the “student who exemplifies the tenets of green stewardship”. This scholarship, brainchild of former president Wyatt Bunce, is, according to headmaster Andy Jones Wilkins, to be “a Student Senate project”. He did, however remark that would “be happy to work through the logistics”.

    So far, the Student Senate has outlined the criteria in four parts; the 'candidate' must: show initiative in the community (not necessarily just at school), go “beyond the basics of carpooling and recycling”, “have a significant influence on others' behavior”, and have made efforts to address ecologically negative behavior in themselves and others.

    In order to qualify for the scholarship, you must be nominated by a fellow Cutthroat, then write an application essay detailing your past and present 'green' activities.

    The scholarship, which will be entirely funded by the Student Senate, would be “offered on a need blind basis”, meaning a student from any income level can be awarded. The winner is decided by a majority vote among Student Senate officers. So far, the senate has agreed that the scholarship will be for students whose actions “go beyond just them, not necessarily the student who creates the least waste”, says Katie Dumke, 10th grade Class Representative.

    The funds behind the scholarship come mainly from the weekly Student Senate barbeque, noted for its environmentally friendly policies, such its $1 discount for buyers using their own dishware.

    As another valuable facet to the Community School experience, the Green Student Scholarship will provide green students a means to 'sustain' their continued place at Community School.



    -Carson Caraluzzi