Scholarship Program

Keep Sedona Beautiful invites graduating seniors or early graduates to apply for the annual Keep Sedona Beautiful Scholarship award. As the premier conservation organization in the greater Sedona area since 1972, Keep Sedona Beautiful has developed programs and initiatives that focus on protecting the area’s natural beauty and environment through the preservation of open space, prevention of light, air, and noise pollution, water conservation, forest protection, native plant and low water landscaping workshops, and creating a litter-free environment.

To encourage preservation of the natural environment, the Board of Trustees awards a Keep Sedona Beautiful Scholarship in the amount of $1000 annually. This award will go to a Sedona area high school senior who plans to pursue a four-year college degree from an accredited institution in a field of study strongly related to the environment.

Those interested in applying for the scholarship should complete an original essay, 500 words or less, on the topic “My Thoughts on How to Preserve Our Natural Wonders for Future Generations”. The deadline for essays is April 30, 2009.

Required qualifications

US Citizen
Resident of greater Sedona area
Graduating Senior or early graduate
Academic achievement/GPA projected in upper 20% of Senior Class, (Home Scholars exempt from this requirement)
Pursuing a field of study strongly related to the natural environment
Complete an original work essay Essay Topic (500 words or less)
“Preserving the Wonder for Future Generations”

Preferred qualifications

Pursuing 4-year degree in environmental engineering, forestry or natural sciences, or related discipline
Attending an Arizona college or university
Demonstrated interest in natural sciences and the environment through extra-curricular activities and academic choices

Selection process

Scholarship information to be posted at schools both private and public and the public library
Application is due by April 30th and should be sent to Keep Sedona Beautiful, Attention: Scholarship, 360 Brewer Road, Sedona, AZ 86336, email ksb@esedona.net or faxed to 928.203.1764.
The Award committee will select the scholarship recipient and will notify them by May 8, 2009.

2008 Scholarship Winner:
Tyler Horchak, Sedona Red Rock High School Senior

Steve DeVol, Keep Sedona Beautiful Board of Trustees member, presented Tyler Horchak with the 2008 Scholarship certificate at the annual Scholarship Night event at the High School.

Tyler writes:

Dear Barbara Litrell and the Keep Sedona Beautiful Board,

Thank you very much for awarding me the Keep Sedona Beautiful scholarship. I feel privileged and honored to have been chosen. This scholarship is greatly appreciated and will get me off to a great start as I study Civil Engineering at Clemson University. My emphasis will be in structural design that focuses on our environment, with attention towards green and self-sustaining structures. Your scholarship will assist me in accomplishing my academic goals. I look forward to meeting and thanking the KSB board in a couple of weeks. Thank you again for this opportunity.

With warm regards, Tyler Horchak

Tyler's Essay: “My Thoughts on How to Preserve Our Natural Wonders for Future Generations”

Education is imperative in aiding the survival of our planet. Science and engineering has become a priority in the job market due to the fact that our environment is suffering. As a young man who loves to watch educational programs and learn about all types of science, I have created some ideas that are plausible in aiding the recovery of earth for future generations. These ideas include different types of self-sustaining green buildings that use recycled parts in construction; heating mechanisms without the use of fossil fuels, and different kinds of energy sources, from manual, hydrogen, to solar power.

Combining these engineering ideas, humans can create a planet that will produce less pollution and stress on the environment. Structural sciences can play a key role in producing a symbiotic relationship with our environment if engineered with a creative and analytical focus on design. We can have structural growth with innovative sensitivity to our ecosystems, which will allow preservation of our natural wonders. These ideas I believe will help in global recovery.

I have been fortunate to travel to many different countries, China, Costa Rica, England, France and New Zealand. Every time I set foot on foreign soil, the first thing I notice is the way the buildings are built, from the airport to the hotel, to the local villages. I am very interested and intellectually curious about the design and assembly of unique structures, with attention on keeping the environment sound. These experiences have broadened my perspective and sparked an incredible desire to improve on the engineering standards.

My academic experience has also challenged my engineering curiosity. I have taken two physics classes, calculus, earth science, biology, chemistry, and I am currently taking AP Biology and a college level calculus course. I believe I can make a significant contribution in the future and have a positive impact on environmental preservation in structural science. My academic goals include expansion on regeneration, recycling and reeducating societies globally to encourage environmental awareness within the realm of engineering. My career and dreams are still developing and more than likely will mold and evolve in the future. However, this path is what excites me about learning and challenges my interests in building structures that are both innovative and green.

I have put my heart and soul into my education and have great aspirations of what I can achieve. This scholarship will financially support the opportunities and experiences that I desire in college, with options to study abroad, as I continue to further enhance my education. Civil Engineering will equip me to fulfill my interests needed to build structures that are green and self-sustaining for our future generations. These different types of concepts will create a cleaner tomorrow and preserve our natural wonders. I hope to take my ideas to college and convert my dreams into realities. I look forward to the opportunity to expand my vision through education and enhance the possibilities for our children tomorrow.

• • • • •

Keep Sedona Beautiful promotes conservation of the greater Sedona area, and, by all practical means, seeks to preserve the unique natural environment and to enhance the quality of life for future generations.

Make a donation to Keep Sedona Beautiful: