Scholarship Recipient: Haylee Slonaker

2023 HFA Parent/Sibling Scholarship

University of California, Santa Cruz

Growing up in the desert, I love being outdoors. From hiking in the summer to watching the stars at night in the winter, I’ve always had a passion for the outdoors. It was not until recently that I realized I could go into a field where this passion could be explored more. I have volunteered at local animal rescues and have had personal experiences raising them. After taking the AP Environmental Science class offered at my high school, I knew that this was the field that I wanted to study. Combining my interest in advocacy and environmental issues, I knew I wanted to change the world and help pass laws and bills related to the environment.

Going to the University of California, Santa Cruz, and majoring in environmental science, I am laying the foundations for this job and setting myself up for my future career. This scholarship will help me achieve these goals and make my dream a reality. It will help me focus more on my academics in college than worry about putting a financial burden on my parents, who are already busy taking care of my brother, who also has severe Hemophilia A. This scholarship will ensure that I can entirely focus on my education without having to get multiple jobs to be able to pay for it, laying the foundation that I can build upon as I continue through college.

—Haylee