Over the Memorial Day weekend, the Nansemond-Suffolk Chapter of the Izaak Walton League of America awarded two $1,000.00 college scholarships to local conservation minded students. Chapter Scholarship Committee Chair, David Perdue, presented an award certificate and check to Suffolk resident Jack Van Straten and Chesapeake resident Sydnie Matkins.
Normally the awards are presented during a chapter monthly member’s meeting. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, chapter functions have been shut down since March. David Perdue made special arrangements to deliver the awards personally while maintaining appropriate social distancing. He arranged to meet Jack at the entrance to our chapter park and to meet Sydnie at her home. 
Jack is a graduate of King’s Fork High School and will be attending Longwood University. He plans on studying Environmental Science and Political Science in pursuit of a career in the field of Environmental Advocacy and Policy. Sydnie is a graduate of Grassfield High School, in Chesapeake, and is currently attending Colorado State University. She is majoring in Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology. Her long term goal is to work with waterfowl, specifically endangered species, in either a research or management position.