One wants to bridge the environmental education gap between urban and rural communities. The other wants to channel restless kids into the next generation of conservationists. Amarion Singletary and Hanna Camptella are the 2026 recipients of the Sheila B. Jones Environmental Education Scholarship.
“Both of these students are taking consistent action to become impactful educators and improve their communities," said Wake County Commissioner Tara Waters. "They represent exactly the kind of next-generation leaders this scholarship was created to support."
Amarion Singletary is a student at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University. His involvement in environmental education began through programs such as the Resource Conservation Workshop and Envirothon, which helped shape his interest in conservation and outreach.
“I am motivated to work with both urban and rural communities to bridge gaps in environmental understanding," said Singletary. "I want to create opportunities for students to engage with the environment in meaningful ways and understand where their natural resources come from, as well as why protecting them is essential for long-term sustainability, especially where they are not as unlimited as they seem to the eye."
Hanna Camptella is a student at North Carolina State University. She wants to inspire young people to explore careers in environmental science and conservation.
“I want to become an environmental educator to help kids like me who have too much energy to sit still and channel it into something that might help the next generation find a career in the environmental sciences or conservation fields," said Camptella.
Each recipient will receive a $1,000 scholarship to support their academic journey.
Launched by the Friends of the Wake Soil and Water Conservation District, the Sheila B. Jones Environmental Education Scholarship supports college students in North Carolina who either reside in Wake County or attend a university in Wake County. Each year, outstanding students are awarded scholarships to advance their careers in environmental education.
The next application cycle will open in January 2027.
