Congratulations to Alexa Troob, Erin Song and Lexi Marshall, three Horace Greeley seniors, for winning 2024 Linda J. Zhang Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability Award. The scholarship award recognizes their leadership and advocacy for environmental issues and sustainability. The awards were presented at the annual senior award ceremony at Horace Greeley High School on June 12, 2024. 

Alexa Troob has made most notable contribution to the Chappaqua community through the Linda J. Zhang Foundation, where her impressive volunteer work and writing have truly made a difference. As a columnist for the Linda Zhang Foundation, she has authored numerous insightful and engaging articles on climate change and sustainability for their monthly newsletter, showcasing her enthusiastic commitment to promoting sustainable living. In 2021, as a freshman at Greeley, she emerged as a Pulitzer Center finalist in the highly competitive Pulitzer Center “Local Letters for Global Change writing contest”. Among more than 800 entrants from all over the US and multiple countries, her letter to Representative Jones on impact of climate change and proposals for actions was one of only 18 selected. When she interned at Inside Press Magazines, she wrote an environmental advocacy article about the embattled Buttonhook Forest. She has also actively worked with the Chappaqua Sustainability Advisory Board.  Alexa’s writing and participation makes her an excellent environmental steward.  

Erin Song has been a dedicated member of the Greeley’s Sustainability Research Center Student Fellows, playing an active role in growing plants in the greenhouse chambers. She has shown exceptional leadership and passion for environmental stewardship. In her sophomore year, she co-created Eco-Friendly Found Art, an upcycling curriculum that took place in Greeley’s sculpture classes, meant to raise waste-consciousness in future generations. This year, she facilitated activities for student groups, demonstrating how to cultivate plants and flowers for school events, and engaged 2nd graders at Grafflin Elementary school during Earth Week with lessons on sustainability and hydroponics. Currently, as part of her Senior Experience, Erin is creating a sustainable garden at the New Castle Community Center with fruit-producing plants she germinated and nurtured over the winter in the SRC. 

Lexi Marshall has devoted several years to her research on cold resistance in plants. Her work has the potential to significantly enhance our understanding and protect crops from frost damage in our changing climate. On top of this, Lexi has also been on the Town Sustainability Advisory Board for the past two years.

Linda J. Zhang Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability Award is sponsored by Linda J. Zhang Memorial Foundation to honor the life and passion of Linda J. Zhang. The foundation’s mission is to protect the environment and fight the climate crisis by raising awareness, promoting actions. We hope the scholarship will encourage more students to advocate sustainable living, pursuit environmental career and use their talents to tackle the biggest challenge faced by mankind.

See winners of previous years here.