From the Ohio EPA

Isabella Byrd, a 2021 graduate of Canal Winchester High School and current Natural Resource Management major at The Ohio State University, has been awarded a $5,000 scholarship from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Education Fund.

Byrd is one of only nine students statewide selected for the 2025–2026 awards, which recognize outstanding academic achievement, leadership, internships, and research in the fields of environmental science and engineering.

“Our environmental science and engineering students are passionate about their studies,” said Ohio EPA Director John Logue. “We are proud to continue to nurture and support their innovative research projects that protect the people and environment of Ohio.”

The scholarship will support Byrd’s studies in natural resource management, a field that focuses on the sustainable stewardship of land, water, and ecosystems. She joins a distinguished group of past recipients who are preparing to lead Ohio toward a healthier environment.

Since 2000, more than $1 million has been awarded to 426 students at 51 Ohio colleges and universities through this program. Funding comes from civil penalties collected by Ohio EPA for air and water pollution violations. The Ohio Academy of Science administers the scholarship program.

The next application deadline for scholarships is April 15, 2026. For more information, contact Ohio EPA’s Office of Environmental Education at (614) 644-2873 or visit www.epa.ohio.gov/oee.

To learn more about the Ohio Academy of Science, call (614) 389-2182 or visit OHIOSCI.org.