Northwest Conservation District Scholarship Application
NWCD will be awarding two $2500 scholarships in 2026, which may be renewed for up to four years (maximum of $10,000 over four years), provided the student maintains scholarship criteria outlined. All applications must be received or post-marked by Friday, April 3rd, 2026 at 5:00 PM.
Email info@nwcd.org with questions.
To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must meet the all of the following criteria: 
- Intending to pursue agriculture, environmental sciences or natural resources as a major; AND
- Plan to attend a two or four-year college in the fall of 2026. The scholarships are merit-based. The recipients will be chosen by the Northwest Conservation District based upon the materials provided in the application
- Graduating senior from a school located in or regional high schools that include students from: Barkhamsted, Bethel, Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Canaan (Falls Village), Colebrook, Cornwall, Danbury, Goshen, Hartland, Harwinton, Kent, Litchfield, Morris, New Fairfield, New Hartford, New Milford, Newtown, Norfolk, North Canaan, Plymouth, Roxbury, Salisbury, Sharon, Sherman, Southbury, Thomaston, Torrington, Warren, Washington, Watertown, Winchester and Woodbury.
About the Northwest Conservation District Scholarship
The Northwest Conservation Scholarship, established in 2022, is awarded each year to two graduating high school seniors who attend a high school located within the Northwest Conservation District.
In honor of Jackie, Dick and Ledlie, NWCD will be awarding two $2500 scholarships in 2026, which may be renewed for up to four years (maximum of $10,000 over four years), provided the student maintains scholarship criteria outlined.
This scholarship has been established on behalf of three environmental titans from Northwest Connecticut Jacolyn “Jackie” Mott: a longtime District supporter and western Connecticut resident. Jackie’s seemingly quiet life overlooking the western hills was filled with a passion for land, and river preservation, a love of art and Native American history. Her faithful participation in NWCD’s Earth Day Plant sale resulted in her gardens being filled with native habitat providing healthy food, clean water, and safe habitat for her neighborhood’s creatures. Many will miss her.
Dick Leavenworth: a longtime supporter and Board member of the District who believed in the importance of educating the next generation about the environment in which we live: “We should raise our children as though they were our precious gift to the world and we should treat our world and its environment as though they were our most precious gift to our children.”
Reverend Ledlie Laughlin Jr: a longtime supporter of the Conservation District since his family’s move to Cornwall in 2000 after serving 50 years in parish ministry. Ledlie’s walk in life was based on his never failing spiritual belief that all of the creatures of the earth are equally entitled to the gifts of clean air, clean water, and shelter, and fair and just treatment.
Applicants should demonstrate their passion and interest in conservation, environmental issues, and preservation of water and soil. Applicants must demonstrate their intent to pursue education in environmental issues as part of their studies in college or university.
