The White Oak Young Naturalist Scholarship Fund was established by the Midwest Native Plant Society, Inc., to create educational opportunities in nature for young people under the age of 18 that exhibit a strong interest in the natural world and/or the sciences. The number of scholarships granted each year is dependent on the funds available and the number of events. Funding is provided from event proceeds and individual donations. Our events sell out quickly, so please register before the event opens to the public.

Overview of the program:

• The White Oak Young Naturalist Scholarship covers the cost of event registration for scholarship recipients only.
• Recipients must be supervised by an adult attending the event (the scholarship does NOT cover registration for this adult).
• The scholarship does not include lodging costs.
• Meals are included as described on the event registration page.
  

Our goal is to provide scholarship recipients opportunities to: 

• Learn from our event speakers and trip leaders – through indoor sessions and experiences in the field.
• Meet others with similar interests to network and connect.
• Participate in the naturalist community centered in southern Ohio.

The MIdwest Native Plant Society, Inc. is a non-profit charitable organization and your donation can be considered tax deductible. Please check with your tax advisor for details.

Please direct any questions about the White Oak Young Naturalist Scholarship Fund to Nikki Tempus, White Oak Scholarship Chair to: Midwestnativeplants@gmail.com. 

When you complete the application and someone will be in touch with you shortly!

Perspectives

In 2022, OSU Student and White Oak Scholarship Intern Brooke Decubellis attended the Midwest Native Plant Conference and interviewed, filmed, and photographed various attendees, speakers, trip leaders, and vendors. Many of her photos are used on this website and other materials.

Brooke created a series of videos for us to share to help you learn more about native plants. We appreciate Brooke’s work and are happy to share it with all of you.

She wrote: "It has been a pleasure to learn more about the impact that landscaping decisions have on the environment. Please feel free to share these links in any way that you choose- the more people who know about the benefits of planting native, the better!” – Brooke.

This scholarship program is designed for youth under 18. Adults working or volunteering in the field can apply for the Cheryl B. Harner Wonder Fund scholarship.