Highland Lakes Master Gardener Association
Scholarship Program
The Highland Lakes Master Gardener Association (HLMGA) provides volunteer services to the local community which focuses on educating the public in advanced horticultural ideas and practices. In addition to the various educational projects in which the members participate, the Association offers scholarships to undergraduate students currently enrolled in a horticultural degree curriculum and graduating seniors from area High Schools who plan to pursue an undergraduate degree/technical certification in the agricultural or horticultural sciences.
The 2024 Highland Lakes Master Gardener Scholar: Riley Arrington
One of the objectives of the Highland Lakes Master Gardener Association is “To expand and aid the capabilities of the Texas A & M AgriLife Extension Service to disseminate horticultural information and practices”. The scholarship committee works together to identify a scholar who will be successful within the horticultural or agricultural industry.
This year, we had many deserving candidates. One candidate, Riley Arrington, showed especially long-term commitment to her chosen field and we chose to award one scholarship of $2500 to be split between her two freshman semesters.
Riley’s interest in animals and agriculture was cultivated by her mother, a local Ag teacher, who encouraged her to push beyond day-to-day challenges to be successful in both academics and extracurricular activities. As well as maintaining excellent grades throughout high school, Riley excelled as an active member and leader of multiple organizations and came with letters of recommendation from the sponsors of several organizations. While enrolled in college, she will also continue her career in competitive rodeo and her animal health care business to help pay expenses.
Her long-term commitment to leadership and success reflect a dedication Riley will now carry to Cisco College, then on to Angelo State University where she will pursue a degree in Agricultural Communications with a minor in Animal Rehabilitation within the Texas Tech University System.
Riley aspires to educate others about the realities of the agricultural world, from rodeo to ranch life. We think she will be doing just that very thing in the years to come.
Many thanks to Joan Altobelli (not pictured), Ray Buchanan, Lavona Fry and Susan Young for serving on this committee. Working on a project with dedicated people is always a pleasure… Especially working to help young people succeed in agriculture or horticulture.
One of the objectives of the Highland Lakes Master Gardener Association is “To expand and aid the capabilities of the Texas A & M AgriLife Extension Service to disseminate horticultural information and practices”. The scholarship committee works together to identify a scholar who will be successful within the horticultural or agricultural industry.
This year, we had many deserving candidates. One candidate, Riley Arrington, showed especially long-term commitment to her chosen field and we chose to award one scholarship of $2500 to be split between her two freshman semesters.
Riley’s interest in animals and agriculture was cultivated by her mother, a local Ag teacher, who encouraged her to push beyond day-to-day challenges to be successful in both academics and extracurricular activities. As well as maintaining excellent grades throughout high school, Riley excelled as an active member and leader of multiple organizations and came with letters of recommendation from the sponsors of several organizations. While enrolled in college, she will also continue her career in competitive rodeo and her animal health care business to help pay expenses.
Her long-term commitment to leadership and success reflect a dedication Riley will now carry to Cisco College, then on to Angelo State University where she will pursue a degree in Agricultural Communications with a minor in Animal Rehabilitation within the Texas Tech University System.
Riley aspires to educate others about the realities of the agricultural world, from rodeo to ranch life. We think she will be doing just that very thing in the years to come.
Many thanks to Joan Altobelli (not pictured), Ray Buchanan, Lavona Fry and Susan Young for serving on this committee. Working on a project with dedicated people is always a pleasure… Especially working to help young people succeed in agriculture or horticulture.
