Morgan Watson, pictured above posing with his scholarship check, was this year’s recipient of the Terry Newendorp Environmental Scholarship. He is studying Biology and Environmental Science at the University of Virginia. As a student at Hereford High School, Morgan served on the Baltimore County Student Council Executive Board as the Environmental Chair, volunteered his time with the Gunpowder RIVERKEEPER, and kept himself busy in numerous clubs and sports. The text of his gracious thank-you note to the Newendorp family is reproduced below.
Dear Newendorp family,
Thank you for choosing me for the Terry Newendorp Environmental Scholarship. I’m grateful
for the support and for the recognition from a group that’s done so much for the Gunpowder
River.
Working with Gunpowder RIVERKEEPER has changed the way I look at my surroundings; it’s
one thing to enjoy the river, but another to take responsibility for it. Small, steady actions are
what stick with me, and that’s the kind of work I will embrace in Charlottesville at the University
of Virginia this fall.
I’ll keep looking for paths to protect waterways and make conservation part of my everyday life,
whether that’s through campus groups, local projects, or just staying informed and speaking up.
This scholarship isn’t just a boost for tuition – it’s a reminder that people are paying attention
and that the work matters.
Thank you for the opportunity and encouragement and thank you for everything you do to keep
the Gunpowder healthy.
Sincerely,
Morgan Watson