TIFTON — Over $15,000 in college scholarships, back-to-nature field trips, and a true taste of college life will be on the line for high school students who attend this year’s Natural Resources Conservation Workshop (NRCW) on June 9-13 at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College.
“The workshop provides an excellent opportunity to engage high school students in the importance of natural resources and agriculture in Georgia,” NRCW Interim Director Kip Hall, an assistant professor of forestry at ABAC, said. “During NRCW, students gain a new perspective on conservation, stewardship, and sustainable agriculture with both classroom and outdoor experiential learning. The workshop opens the door for many students to consider a college major for a career in agriculture and natural resources.”
Students participating in the workshop will attend lectures and hands-on activities to boost their knowledge of Georgia’s vital natural resources. Local, state, and federal natural resource agencies and specialists from universities will host these sessions.
The workshop provides students with a taste of college life while delivering valuable insight into careers through their counselors and instructors. These professionals consist of ABAC admissions personnel, the Department of Natural Resources, the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Georgia Forestry Commission, the University of Georgia (UGA) Cooperative Extension Service, the Warnell School of Forestry at UGA, the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission, and many private industries and organizations.
Tuition is $175 per student before the early bird deadline of May 1. After May 1, tuition increases to $200 per student to attend the workshop. The final application deadline is June 1. Tuition is usually provided to the students by local Conservation Districts, local businesses, and individuals. Interested students must first complete the online application available at www.abac.edu/nrcw . They will then be contacted by a District Program Assistant who represents a local Conservation District, to complete the registration process.
NRCW scholarship sponsors include the Georgia Association of Conservation Districts, the ABAC Foundation, Georgia Chapter of American Public Works Association.
Georgia Mining Association, Workshop Scholarship Fund, Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District, UGA’s Warnell School of Forestry, Fort Valley State University, Blue Ridge Mountain SWCD and Young Harris College, Piedmont Conservation Products, the Georgia Chapter NOPBNRCSE and West Georgia SWCD.