The Garden Club of Cape Coral recently granted two Cape Coral high school seniors a total of $5,000 through their Merit Scholarship Awards Program. These awards are given annually to local students who excel academically and in their environmental efforts as active members in the community. The 15th annual awards in memory of club co-founder Marty Ward were granted to Sophia Lamping of Cape Coral High School and Camden Phillips of Oasis High School. They were selected because of their academic achievements, leadership and hands-on participation in horticulture, agriculture, hydrology and natural resources, as well as commitment to continue with their efforts in conserving our precious environment for the future.
In addition, the fifth annual award in memory of Donna Conway, funded by the Conway family and friends in 2020, was also presented to Lamping due to her dedication to The Sanibel Sea School as a camp counselor. Conway was a long-time member of the club who initiated the club’s main fundraiser “March in the Park.” This event has been held annually since 2009 and is the source of the funds for the club’s activities including scholarships.
Thanks to the support of club members and the community, 58 awards ranging in value from $250 to $2,500 have been presented to graduating seniors since the program was established in 2011. The value of the awards is determined by the relevance of each student’s course of study, extracurricular activities, community involvement and future goals to preserve the environment. Besides being a senior and a Cape Coral resident, applicants must present two references, academic history, active participation in horticultural or environmental projects, and a 250-word personal statement. Applications open in January, with a submission deadline in February, award notifications in March and presentations of the awards at the GCCC April meeting.
Lamping was accepted to multiple Florida universities. She will be attending the University of Florida, majoring in biology on the pre-med track, with the goal of becoming a dermatologist.
While her professional aspirations lie in medicine, she remains deeply committed to marine conservation. She plans to leverage her future career’s financial stability to support marine research, fund conservation initiatives and one day establish a sanctuary for marine life.
“I’ve seen the ocean change so much in my lifetime, and I know that even small efforts can make a big impact,” she said. “Winning this scholarship brings me one step closer to making a lasting difference, both in my career and for the future of our oceans.”
Phillips is described as a storyteller, a scholar and an advocate for sustainable change, and the club says he embodies a powerful vision for the future — one where humanity’s need for energy is balanced with a deep respect for the natural world.
Phillips has enrolled at Florida State University, majoring in electrical engineering with a focus on sustainable and renewable energy, and hopes to minor in anthropology or biology.
He said his dream is to work within the power industry, studying operations and policies firsthand, and ultimately helping to transition Florida’s energy grid to renewable sources.”
Garden Club of Cape Coral meets on the second Wednesday of September through May at 5:45 p.m. Please check the club’s website for location. Guests are welcome.
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