Sandy MacGillivray Memorial Scholarship (NEW)

The Springfield Garden Club would like to announce a scholarship now available to graduating seniors from Springfield River Valley Technical Center (RVTC), Class of 2022. The $1000 scholarship will be given to one student per year for the next 5 years. A good portion of the funds were donated in her memory to the Garden Club by friends and family both near and afar, SGC friends and those in the community who recognized Sandy’s dedicated commitment to her hometown.

This scholarship is being offered in honor of Sandy’s long commitment to serving her community in a variety of ways. For over twenty years she was an active member of the Garden Club serving as President in 2006-08 and again in 2011-13. She produced the members’ program book for many years and was Co-chair of the Festival of Trees fundraiser. In recent years she also served as the Civic Beautification Chair. She was actively involved in other groups and committees - all with the intent of improving and beautifying the town of Springfield. She was a very positive person who saw the best in people. She carried out her duties, always with a smile and an encouraging word for everyone.

Mrs. MacGillivray taught business courses at Springfield High School Tech Center for many years. She was “extremely” organized and applied herself diligently to any task given to her. She loved to work with students, encouraging them and guiding them into living productive lives. Her scholarship will be offered to a promising student who has been known to demonstrate similar qualities of work ethic and character.

The scholarship is open to students who have successfully completed two years of study at RVTC. Seniors may be going on to post-secondary educational institutions or to further training in the workplace which may require monetary assistance. Interested candidates should visit the guidance office at RVTC to apply. Completed applications are due May 13, 2022.

This scholarship is in addition to the normal scholarship program offered by the Garden Club to students from Springfield High School, Green Mountain High School and RVTC who are pursuing further education in the field of horticulture, forestry or environmental sciences.

The Ongoing Annual SGC Scholarship Program

High School seniors and college age students and their families interested in learning more about the requirements and availability of Springfield Garden Club's scholarships can contact Scholarship Chairperson, . Students from the wider Springfield area are eligible, including Weathersfield, Chester and other school districts served by the River Valley Technical Center located at the Howard Dean Education Center in Springfield. The guidance offices of the schools have information about the scholarship. Scholarships are awarded to students studying in the fields of forestry, horticulture, landscaping, biology, natural sciences or environmental studies.

2021 Scholarship Recipient:

Rosalee Saccardo from Green Mountain High School was awarded our Garden Club Scholarship for 2021-22. As she was the only applicant who fully met our requirements, the committee unanimously decided to award her the entire $2000 which was budgeted for the coming year.

Rosalee will be attending Roger Williams University in Rhode Island this fall. Her intended Major is Environmental Science. She has been an active member of the Environmental Club at Green Mountain for the past four years of High School. She spearheaded a school-wide composting program for the school, organized a weekly recycling/composting signage by digital arts students, and also created a website to educate students and staff about environmental issues. In addition, she was very active in other school activities such as the Interact Club, the school newspaper, several theater programs, and musical performances. She was a member of the National Honor Society and was the recipient of many academic awards throughout her high school career.

The committee felt that Rosalee was a very deserving candidate and we were delighted to be able to support her with her future education goals.
(Scholarship Committee: Jocelyn Zezza, Margery Collins, and Deanna Dexter)

2020 Scholarship Recipient:

This young woman has recently graduated from Green Mountain High School. She is a very impressive scholar, active in community activities and a leader on athletic teams. She has also demonstrated a true passion for the environment.

The Springfield Garden Club is able to offer scholarships to graduating high school seniors thanks to previous Festival of Trees fundraising from generous participants and corporate sponsors.

The winner, Olivia Bernier, is the daughter of Christopher Bernier, wildlife biologist, and Margaret Minehan, a teacher. Olivia will be attending St. Lawrence University in Canton, NY with a focus on environmental sciences. Her goal is to become an Environmental Educator and/or Scientist. Olivia is interested in further exploring the science behind conservation. She has planted trees in a riparian buffer zone, worked to remove invasive honeysuckle and spent time shadowing a bear biologist. “Participating in an influential scientific study alongside field biologists made me aware of how I could combine my passion for the outdoors with meaningful work,” says Olivia.

“The Garden Club is pleased to help students such as this move forward to achieve their dreams. Olivia will be awarded a $1000 scholarship this year,” stated Jocelyn Zezza, Scholarship Chair.
(Photo credit: Karen Vatne)

Previous SGC Scholarship Recipients:

2016 - Ben Bolaski