A student who is a passionate founder of a Dallas-based student group, The Environmental League, whose mission is to "change everyday behavior in our schools and to show students the beauty we are fighting to preserve," will have all of his tuition, room, board, and fees covered for all four years at the nation’s number-one college for sustainability-based education.
Hayden B Jackson, of Dallas, Texas, is the recipient of the “First in Sustainability Scholarship Award” from Green Mountain College (GMC). His essay on how he created The Environmental League with ten students from two local high schools who worked together to clean up a nearby polluted pond – has earned him the scholarship. The award covers his tuition, room/board, and fees for all four years of study.
In his essay, Jackson described how he will use his GMC education to develop solutions and grow the Dallas-area movement he helped to 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 Robert (Bob) Allen, President, Green Mountain College. “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.”
As Jackson noted in his essay, the Environmental League's goal 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.”
A senior at Hillcrest High School, Hayden shared “I found my inspiration on a bluff in Big Bend at 2am, and I hope to inspire other teens to explore their environment in life, studies, and careers. This is why I need to further my education, so I will be capable of handling the organization that I know this will become while I am at college, and to hopefully start some chapters in Vermont while I am there.”
In addition to studying at GMC, Hayden is interested in playing lacrosse and running cross country with the GMC Eagles. While still undecided on his major, Hayden has expressed an interest in Adventure Education and Wilderness & Outdoor Therapy to continue the movement The Environmental League started.
Recognized more than any college for its leadership in sustainability, Green Mountain College provides a personal, practical and purposeful education that prepares graduates to “do well by doing good.” The college offers 23 academic majors and 36 additional minors and certificates, all built on its core sustainability focused general education curriculum. Ninety-seven percent of graduates are employed or in graduate school and ninety-five percent of graduates are satisfied or very satisfied in their work.
About Green Mountain College – First in Sustainability:
For more than 20 years, Green Mountain College has focused on environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Its curriculum is rated #1 in the nation, and the college has been recognized for its leadership in sustainability more than any other college in the country. Its faculty members are leaders in their fields, with proven success teaching and mentoring GMC students to take on the great challenges of these times.
Green Mountain College’s holistic, sustainability-based education, built on a core sustainability-focused liberal arts curriculum, enables students to develop the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in our rapidly changing world. The College also offers online master’s degree programs, and a three-year BS degree in partnership with The Killington Resort. For more information, visit www.greenmtn.edu.