RUMSON — At its 2022 annual meeting at the Rumson Country Club Riverhouse, Rumson Garden Club, a member club of the Garden Club of America, awarded the Catherine B. Gonska Memorial Scholarship to Trinity Hall senior Annaliese K. Heidelberger.
The $2,500 scholarship is presented annually to a local high school student who plans to attend an accredited college and has demonstrated an interest in the area of horticulture, environmental studies, conservation, marine science or earth science, according to a press release.
Applicants were required to write an essay outlining their interests and accomplishments. Among her many activities and service in the Two River community, Annaliese spearheaded the planting of a pollinator garden on the grounds of Trinity Hall in Tinton Falls.
Trinity Hall is an independent all-girls college preparatory high school educating young women in the Catholic tradition.
“Every year, my school has a service day where every student gets assigned to do service at the school or in the local community,” Annaliese said. “During my junior year, I got
to orchestrate the planting of an on-campus pollinator garden as the leader of the Horticultural Club.
“This experience was very rewarding as I got to work with my fellow students to create a beautiful space for people and pollinators. Although it involved hard work, it is a standout moment for me because I received instant gratification from seeing all the flowers and milkweed buds we were able to plant.
“After so much planning, we were able to turn a bare plot of land on a forgotten corner of the school lawn into a garden where students could come for a reprieve from academics and where numerous species could thrive. Especially given the pandemic, it was a joyous moment to be able to share in my love for gardening with other people and feel like I had created a positive legacy,” she said.
