Supporting Our Community

Scholarships and Grants

Sustainable Braintree is committed to promoting the study of environmental science in our schools. We believe that an understanding of our natural world will motivate people to try to preserve it. To this end, Sustainable Braintree has funded environmental projects in the Braintree Schools, many in conjunction with the Braintree Fund for Education (BFFE) teacher grant program. Sustainable Braintree has also established an annual $1,000 scholarship to a Braintree High School graduating Senior who has demonstrated interest in environmental study. We offer our congratulations to the following past recipients and look forward to continuing to support environmental education in Braintree.

$1000 BHS SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

2022 - Deeksha Kavalapara
Deeksha has been a key member of the BHS Environmental Club and will study Biochemistry at University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

2021 - Sophia Millholland
Sophia has been a contributing member of the BHS Environmental Club and will be attending the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

2020 - Amber Madeiras
Amber served as President of the BHS Environmental Club and will be attending the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.  This past year, she worked with BHS faculty to develop a new environmental science class that will be offered to students in academic year 2020-2021.

2019 - Risi Tabaku
Risi has been an active member of the BHS Environmental Club and will be attending Salem State College.

2018 - Jessica Doherty
Jessica will pursue a degree in Environmental Engineering at the University of Maine. While at BHS she was an active member of the Environmental Club most recently serving as President and was also a frequent attendee at Sustainable Braintree community events.

2017 - Anja Johnson
Anja will pursue a degree in Cognitive Science at the University of California - Irvine. She participated in community events and was an active member of the BHS Environmental Club.

2016 - Jessica Tran
Jessica is attending Stony Brook University majoring in Marine Biology. As the president of the Environmental Club at the High School she has worked on creating a native species tank as well as help Project Prove with their composting and organic garden.

2015 - Robert Kearns
Robert is attending the University of Massachusetts, Amherst Studying Environmental Science. Robert was actively involved in town as President of the Environmental Club at Braintree High School where he worked on an initiative to create a rain garden. He also is a strong advocate for the Monatiquot River Restoration and instrumental in the annual Monatiquot River Clean Up.

​2014 - Saydia Williams
​​Saydia served as President of the Environmental Club at Braintree High School where she advocated for Sustainability initiatives.  Saydia is attending Simmons College, majoring in Asian Studies​.

2013 - David Desmond
David is an involved environmentalist, Eagle Scout, and an avid recycler at Braintree High School. David will continue his education at Clarkson University in Potsdam, New York and will be entering their Aeronautical Engineering Program.

2012 - Lauren Hill
Lauren will be attending the University of New Haven
in West Haven, Connecticut in the fall of 2012, where she will study
environmental sciences as part of the University's Marine Biology
Program.

2011 - Claire Folan
Claire attends the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in Bourne, where she is pursuing a degree in Marine Engineering.

2010 - Maggie Kwong
Maggie is continuing her education at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and minoring in Microbiology.

LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECT SUPPORT/GRANTS

2018 - South Middle School Garden
Provided rain barrels for rainwater capture and storage for use at the South Middle School garden.

2017 - Highlands Elementary School Garden
Supported an Eagle Scout project to capture roof runoff to a Rain Garden to be used for classroom education.

2015 - South Middle School Water Bottle Filling Station
Supported procurement and installation of EZH2O Water Bottle Filling Station at South Middle School.

2013 - Flaherty Elementary School Garden
Coordinate grants from SB and Whole Foods to create 18 raised bed gardens for classroom vegetable and wildflower gardens at the Flaherty Elementary School.

2012 - Braintree High School AP Environmental Energy Audit
Kill A Watt Usage Monitors, a class set of light meters and thermal leak detectors students will be able to conduct energy audits on portions of the High School building. As a result of their investigations they can propose possible solutions with a cost benefit analysis for reducing energy and costs.

2012 - Wind Energy Forum at South and East Middle Schools
Students will learn how conventional energy is generated and explore the transfer of energy from mining operations through power plants. Students will also learn how wind turbines create energy by using wind in place of fossil fuels.

2012 - Braintree High School Recycling Initiative
The goal of this project is to increase the amount of recycling done throughout the high school. The BHS Green Team will lead the way with new initiatives to encourage staff and students to recycle. Sustainable Braintree applauds these programs and congratulates the Braintree Schools for their support in promoting environmental responsibility.

2011 - East Middle School Rain Garden
Teacher Bill Glover developed a rain garden at East Middle School to be used as both an educational site and a filter for excessive amounts of runoff water. Once established, the garden will become a viable teaching space where students can see untreated water diverted, and multiple plants coexisting with diverse groups of organisms, demonstrating a symbiotic relationship.

2011 - Ross Elementary School Garden Compost Project
School Teacher Catherine Avellino will enhance a previously established garden at Ross Elementary School by recycling used materials to make compost. Through the use of a composter and cold frame garden beds, students will discover the powerful energy of the sun.

2011 - East Middle School Nature Trail
Sustainable Braintree joined Bogan Tree and Skinner Overlook to support teacher Lisa Milligan at East Middle School in the design and implementation of a new Nature Trail.

2010 - Ross Elementary School Garden
Teacher Catherine Avellino, Ross Elementary School,
$1,000 from the BFFE to construct an outdoor class
room at the
School enabling students to learn in an outdoor environment.

2009 - Science through Solar Panels at South Middle School
Teacher Betsey Willis, South Middle School, $500 from the BFFE for “Science through Solar Panels,” purchasing and installing a solar panel in her classroom.

2009 - River Study at East Middle School
Teacher William Glover, East Middle School, $500 from Sustainable Braintree and $500 from the BFFE for “The River Study” where Mr. Glover’s students collected and analyzed water samples from Smelt Brook in Pond Meadow Park.

2009 - Hollis Elementary School Outdoor Garden