Hillcrest senior Hayden B. Jackson is the recipient of the “First in Sustainability Scholarship Award” from Green Mountain College (GMC). The award comes with a full, four-year scholarship to the Vermont college, which is the most highly awarded college for sustainability.
Jackson founded The Environmental League at Hillcrest to work with students from other local high schools to clean up a nearby polluted pond. In an essay as part of the scholarship application, Jackson describes the project and how he will use his GMC education to develop solutions and grow the Dallas-area movement he helped start.
“At a time of heightened attention to the world’s sustainability challenges—environmental, economic and social—students like Hayden give us hope for the future,” said GMC President Robert Allen. “His essay conveyed his commitment to educating students about preserving the earth’s resources while appreciating nature’s beauty. He is exactly the kind of young leader the world needs: informed, enthused, and purposeful about ensuring a more sustainable world.”
Jackson says in his essay that the Environmental League’s goals is to “change everyday behavior in our schools, and show students the beauty we are fighting to preserve.” He stated, “My dream is to make the world a better more sustainable place. The Environmental League rewards students with outdoor experiences for their involvement helping the environment.”
In addition to studying at GMC, Jackson is interested in playing lacrosse and running cross country with the GMC Eagles. Jackson will be majoring in Adventure Education and Wildlife/Forest Conservation to continue the movement The Environmental League started.
