On November 7, the Wildlife Leadership Academy recognized five teen conservation leaders with the Ralph Abele Excellence in Outreach Award which includes a total of $2,500 in college scholarships. 

Wildlife Leadership Academy is a year-round program for high-school age youth that begins with rigorous summer field schools that focus on wildlife/fisheries biology and conservation as well as leadership skills development. 

Following the field schools, students are mentored through the following year to serve as Conservation Ambassadors giving back to their communities through education, service, media engagement, creative arts and outdoor mentorship. 

The awardees each attended a 2022 Academy field school, taking their role as a Conservation Ambassador to heart going above and beyond to make an impact in their community into the next year. 

Awardees include Mary Grant of Chester County (Bucktails field school); Kaela Still of Lebanon County (Bass field school); Joanna Genemans of Frederick County, Maryland (Brookies field school); Stephen Polizzi of Lancaster County (Gobblers field school), and Lizzy Bywaters of Montgomery County (Ursids Field School). 

Together the awarded students dedicated 580 hours to their community and connected with over 1,800 citizens.

The Academy has been giving these awards since their inception in 2007.  In 2017, the award was renamed in honor of Pennsylvania’s conservation leader, Ralph Abele.

“Because of Mr. Abele’s dedication to engaging youth in conservation and the outdoors, renaming our Excellence in Outreach Award in his honor seemed like a perfect full circle moment,” said Academy Executive Director Michele Kittell Connolly.

Kaela Still felt that winning the award was an incredible honor. 

“When they announced my name I felt a sense of pride and honor and that I had done something to give back to the community and environment.  Doing outreach was never a hard task for me and it brought me so much joy,” said Still.  “Seeing kids’ faces when they flip a rock and see a salamander for the first time is such an incredible experience. 

“I’m so proud to have been able to accept this award and I hope that I can one day live like Ralph Abele and give the environment all I have. I want to thank everyone because this has provided me with an opportunity to continue my formal education as a conversation steward.”

At each field school, part of the curriculum includes Ralph Abele’s story shared through the WITF documentary Straight Talk. 

“Sharing his story with young, eager conservation leaders, exemplifies to them that even in difficult times, one can make amazing strides on behalf of our natural resources by working hard and having a belief in something bigger than themselves,” Kittell Connolly says.

The mission of the Wildlife Leadership Academy is to engage and empower high school age youth to become Conservation Ambassadors to ensure a sustained wildlife, fisheries and natural resource legacy for future generations.

The Wildlife Leadership Academy, a nonprofit organization, is a cooperative initiative involving state agencies and conservation organizations.

In total, the Academy’s Conservation Ambassadors have conducted 7,916 outreach projects; given more than 30,000 hours of work to their communities, and engaged over 136,000 citizens across the state and beyond.

Nominations Being Accepted

The Wildlife Leadership Academy has opened its exclusive Youth Conservation Ambassador nomination process for 2023 to the public and is currently seeking referrals of motivated students ages 14 to 17 to become Certified Conservation Ambassadors.

Nominations are now being accepted online at Conservation Ambassadors webpage. 

Applicants may be nominated by an adult who knows them well but is not a relative (teacher, school counselor, Envirothon advisor, employer, youth group leader, etc.).

Please contact Katie Cassidy, Youth and Alumni Outreach Manager, at 570-939-5109 or kcassidy@wildlifeleadershipacademy.org with any questions.

Visit the Wildlife Leadership Academy website or connect on Facebook to learn more about their programs.

(Photos: Mary Grant of Chester County (Bucktails field school), Stephen Polizzi of Lancaster County (Gobblers field school), Joanna Genemans of Frederick County, Maryland (Brookies field school), and Kaela Still of Lebanon County (Bass field school). Awardee not pictured is Lizzy Bywaters of Montgomery County (Ursids Field School).

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[Posted: November 7, 2022]

11/14/2022