Three students receive educational funds
FREDERICK, Md. — NaturaLawn® of America has announced the winners of the annual Dan Collins Scholarship Award, providing three college-bound high school graduates with funds to assist in educational expenses. First place recipient Autumn Moore, of Perry County, Pa., was announced as the first place award recipient, receiving a $4,000 scholarship. Matt Tengtrakool, of Middlesex County, Ma., was selected as the award’s second place recipient, and received a $2,000 scholarship. Third place recipient Lydia Gilpin, of Burke County, Ga., received a $1,000 scholarship award.
Autumn Moore
2021 First Place Winner
Matt Tengtrakool
2021 Second Place Winner
Lydia Gilpin
2021 Third Place WinnerThe NaturaLawn® of America Dan Collins Scholarship was established in 2017 in memory of Dan Collins, a NaturaLawn® of America franchise owner from Richmond, Va. who passed away from cancer in 2005. Collins was known for his kind heart and "larger-than-life," gentlemanly manner. The scholarship named in his honor seeks to recognize high school or undergraduate students who exhibit similar generosity of character and goodwill.
The 2021 selection process proved competitive, with applicants from over 30 states and multiple countries. Phil Catron, president and founder of NaturaLawn® of America, stated of the selected candidates, "We are so pleased to assist these very deserving young adults in realizing their educational goals and easing the cost of the journey ahead of them. We’re eager to follow their paths and are sure they will achieve great success in their future endeavors."
First place winner Autumn Moore hopes to explore the fields of plant science and horticulture, contributing to her previous dual-enrollment studies of environmental resource management and biology through Penn State. Matt Tengtrakool will attend Harvard University in the fall of 2021 to study environmental studies and policy, while Lydia Gilpin will attend Texas Christian University to pursue her degree in elementary education.
NaturaLawn® of America first introduced The Dan Collins Scholarship Award in 2017 with a single student applying for the $4,000 scholarship. The scholarship was expanded in 2019, in order to offer three scholarship awards. In 2021, the total amount awarded was raised from $5,500 in 2020 to $7,000.
NaturaLawn® of America’s environmentally-friendly approach to lawn care has been creating green lawns quickly, more naturally, and with fewer weeds since 1987. NaturaLawn® of America is a national lawn care franchise system with 34 owners holding 92 licenses, servicing over 125,000 customers in 26 states and the District of Columbia. For more information on the Dan Collins Scholarship and NaturaLawn® of America, visit NaturaLawn.com.
