Scholarships
Our Whidbey Audubon Society Renee Smith Scholarship for Environmental Studies supports Whidbey Island graduating high school seniors who are going on to pursue higher education degrees in environmental programs. Each spring Whidbey Audubon Society awards scholarships to two or three outstanding students.
Consider a donation in support of the Scholarship Fund. Help us help those who are carrying the environmental stewardship torch forward for future generations.
If you prefer to mail a donation, please use our mail-in form: Scholarship Donation Form
Applying for a Scholarship
. Information about our former scholarship recipients is contained in the following file: Scholarship Recipients. The 2026 applications will be coming in the fall
Congratulations to Our 2025 Scholarship Recipients!
Our 2025 scholarships were awarded to three accomplished 2025 Whidbey Island high school graduates: Dylan Paine and Kjersti Ringsrud of South Whidbey High School and Kennedy Carlson of Oak Harbor High School.
Dylan Paine
South Whidbey High School
Dylan Paine has attended the Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) program at Everett Community College, as part of SWHS Running Start, for the past two years. Students there collect relevant data while on their research boat Phoconea. They analyze and interpret information about salinity, levels of chlorophyll, animals in Puget Sound, etc. Attending ORCA has enhanced his love for Environmental science and his intent to be part of the solution to preserve our environment in the Puget Sound region. Dylan will attend Western Washington University and is interested in pursuing Ecosystem restoration and research.
Kjersti Ringsrud
South Whidbey High School
Through working with United Student Leaders (USL) and on Langley's Climate Crisis Action Commission, I've gotten really interested in how policy affects the environment and our relationship to it. Next year, I'm going to study political science and environmental science at the University of Vermont, and I'm hoping to go into a career in nonprofit work or even politics. I've already learned a lot about county and city politics through working to pass an Island County Climate Emergency Declaration, but I want to learn more about how things work on a state level.
Kennedy Carlson
Oak Harbor High School
Kennedy Carlson has lived in Asia and seen the problems of environmental pollution first hand. Living on Whidbey now, she has tried to expand her knowledge of creating solutions for a more sustainable future. Kennedy’s environmental Science teacher says she “exemplifies the principle of being a respectful stewart of the land.”
Kennedy will attend Colorado State University to study Environmental Engineering and become a Natural Resources manager, and hopes to do field work and be part of changing policies on natural resources.
Congratulations to Our 2024 Scholarship Recipients!
Our 2024 scholarships were awarded to four accomplished 2024 Whidbey Island high school graduates: Ava Mitten of Coupeville High School, Naomi Atwood, Audrey Gmerek and Sophia Patrin of South Whidbey High School. This is the thirteenth year that the scholarships have been awarded to graduating high school seniors.
Ava Mitten
Coupeville High School
Ava Mitten graduated from Coupeville High School and is attending the University of Washington, majoring in environmental science. Ava has been a team leader on environmental projects, assembling websites and making flyers for the School’s Green Team’s efforts to offset carbon footprint. She has spoken at local events and with legislators in Olympia concerning Whidbey’s environmental issues. Ava wants to become an environmental attorney and help communities to preserve their habitats and convert to clean energy.
Naomi Atwood
South Whidbey High School
Naomi Atwood is a graduate of South Whidbey High School and is attending Middlebury College in Vermont, majoring in environmental studies. Naomi has been a core member of United Student Leaders, a student led organization focusing on the climate crisis and social justice issues. She actively campaigned for the City of Langley and Island County to declare a climate emergency. In college and beyond she will continue to work towards environmental sustainability.
From early childhood, Audrey Gmerek has taken an active interest in the environment. While maintaining a straight 4.0 average in high school, she worked with United Student Leaders and the school administration to introduce an Environmental Science class, and applied for and received a Federal grant to acquire the first electric school bus in the district. Audrey is attending Brown University's environmental science program to, in her words, "craft and form well-informed, climate-centered legislation and policy".
Audrey Gmerek
South Whidbey High School
Sophia Patrin graduated from South Whidbey High school and is attending the University of Washington. She was a member of the United Students Leaders and wants a more sustainable future for future generations and her own. She is interested in climate action and equity for all. She hopes to study environmental science and biology in later years. USL gives Sophia an environment to fight for her ideas and make change in her community.
Sophia Patrin
South Whidbey High School
Banner Photo: Jann Ledbetter