A former Owen Sound District Secondary School student now has an extra couple thousand dollars to put toward university after winning a local award.
Hayden Wardell has been named the winner of the Malcolm Kirk Environmental Award by the Grey Sauble Conservation Foundation. The $2,000 award is handed out annually to a graduating high school student in the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority watershed who is pursuing post-secondary studies in an environmental or resource management related field.
Wardell, who begins working toward an Honours Bachelor of Science in Forestry at Lakehead University in the fall, was selected for his passion for the environment. His dream is to one day monitor and manage forests with the goals of promoting biodiversity, ensuring sustainability, and combating climate change, according to the foundation.
The award's namesake, Malcolm Kirk, was instrumental in acquiring much of the land currently owned and managed by the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority. Kirk died in 2012, but his commitment to support future environmental leaders lives on through the award.
Applications are now being sought for the 2025 award. The deadline to apply online at www.greysauble.on.ca/foundation/malcolm-kirk-environmental-award/ is May 31, 2025.