Burrowing Owl — Photo: Dow Lambert
Another Year of OPAS Scholarship Winners!
By Rhonda Coats
Academic year 2024-2025 marked the second year of the OPAS Natural Sciences Scholarship Award. In May, five deserving graduating seniors received $1,000 each in honor of James “Jim” Gift, who served OPAS for nearly two decades in various roles including Conservation Chair and President.
Above. Award certificate designed by Rhonda Coats. Background image: Black Oystercatcher by Jim Gift.
To inform the scholarship winners about Jim’s remarkable life, a document “About Jim Gift” accompanied each award certificate. Click here to read the PDF version.
On May 21st, three Port Angeles High School scholarship recipients received their awards in a gathering that career counselors had arranged especially for OPAS Board members Tom Butler, Dee Renee Ericks, Rhonda Coats, and Interim President Matt McCoy. For more than an hour, board members enjoyed conversing with the scholars—hearing about their college selections and career aspirations. While learning about OPAS and Jim Gift, scholarship winner Corbin Hempel invited us Board members to meet with the visiting UW professor, who was in the midst of teaching an ornithology unit to the AP Science Class. This invitation afforded yet more time with the students and their instructor. We discussed the need to stimulate specific interests in ornithology in the sophomore and junior years of the high school curriculum so that graduating seniors might choose careers in the field.
(Above) Shane Nelson-Roberts plans to major in Biology at either University of Washington or Eastern Washington University.
(Above) Andrew Corson aspires to a career combining Engineering and Environmental Science. His academic path will emphasize Environmental Science at either University of Washington or Western Washington University and Engineering at Oregon State University.
(Above) Taking a photo op with Matt McCoy, scholarship winner Corbin Hempel plans a career in Marine Biology. He intends to pursue undergraduate studies at Western Washington University and doctoral work at Oregon State University.
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At Sequim High School Awards Night on May 28th, Karen Cwirla, Treasurer, delivered remarks on behalf of the OPAS Board to a crowded auditorium.
(Above) From the podium, Karen highlighted the academic and career aspirations of scholarship winners, Journey Simpson and Ginger “Cooper” Hiatt. Both graduating seniors aspire to studies at the University of Washington and careers in Marine Biology.
(Above) Ginger stuck around after the ceremony for a photo op with Karen. Seeing the scholarship certificate for the first time, she exclaimed, “Oh, an oystercatcher! My favorite bird!”
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A letter dated June 3, 2025 from winner Journey Simpson to OPAS expresses how our scholarship awards encourage these young people toward their life ambitions. It reads in part:
“Thank you so much for awarding me this incredible scholarship opportunity. I truly appreciate your support. While I may not have expressed it fully in my scholarship notebook, I want you to know how much I admire your mission and the work you do for the community—and especially for the environment. I mentioned my interest in conservation, but since then, my passion has grown even stronger. I now know I want to focus on rehabilitation and rescue, particularly of marine mammals and seabirds. My goal in pursuing a bachelor's degree is to protect our oceans and educate others about marine life. . . .
“Thank you for being part of my journey. Your generosity is making a real difference in my life and my future.
“With gratitude,
Journey Simpson”
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Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society provides these scholarships through donations. As the OPAS Board seeks to expand the Scholarship Program in coming years, please consider contributing to this worthy cause online at https://olympicpeninsulaaudubon.org/donate-to-our-mission .
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Photos at Port Angeles High School by Dee Renee Ericks. Photos at Sequim High School by Rhonda Coats.